


Come Back

by LunarC



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: (as in they go hunting), Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Angry Daryl, Animal Death, Drunk Sex, Fingering, First Meeting, First Time, M/M, NSFW, Sad Rick, Swearing, no zombies, slight angst, slight gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-05-31 05:18:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6457396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunarC/pseuds/LunarC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick escapes into the woods after learning his wife and best friend have been sleeping together. While hiking he slips into a river and loses everything he has. Stranded and desperate he is found by an unlikely stranger, Daryl, who returns his drenched belongings and offers him salvation he never knew he needed and a friendship that evolves into something more...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> When I first joined TWD fandom I thought: I could never write an AU for this. It'd be too hard.
> 
> Then this idea crept up on me and I had to see it through.  
> Needless to say Rick and Daryl are a little OOC in this fic.  
> I hope you still enjoy it though.
> 
> Kudos and comments much appreciated!

Rick’s been out in the woods for exactly 2 nights, 3 days, when he falls into a river.

Now there’s no point going into the how (he slipped) or the why (he thought he’d trod on a snake) or the fact that he rolls almost 10 meters, goes over a ledge and lands in a river running so quick he almost drowns. Losing his back pack, his tent and his wallet at the same time. 

Those things are not important and don’t need to be recounted, ever, to anyone.

And if Rick sits at the edge of that same river, drenched to the bone, shaking, with his head in his hands and maybe sobs a little. Then that’s no one’s business. He’s a grown man, if he wants to take a moment he’s welcome to it. 

It’s when he realises he’s lost his car keys that he really loses it. Gets up, grabs a stick and starts trawling the stream searching. He’s at it for 2 hours before he finally gives up, goes back to the shore and just yells. Throws his stick into the water, falls to his knees. Picks up stone after stone and just throws them. Completely losing it. At the river, his keys, his car, everything. 

He hollers words he hadn’t used since high school, since before Carl was born and he married Lori. Words Shane taught him.

Lori and Shane. His best friend and his wife. How could he have been so stupid?

Rick is sitting beside the river, his jacket laid out beside him, shoes beside that, with his head in his hands when he hears a voice from behind him.

“… Hey uh… You Rick?” 

He turns, startled, to find a man in a cut off shirt staring at him, cross bow slung over one shoulder, partly hidden in the shade of the trees above.

“… Uh, yeah.” Rick replies, trying to work out how this stranger could know that.

The stranger holds up his soaked back pack, looking between it and the wet, bedraggled man sitting by the shore with no shoes on in the middle of the woods.

“… This yours?” The stranger asks in a thick accent and Rick can’t believe it, goes red with embarrassment as he stands, nodding and walking up to the stranger.

“How’d you-Thank you.” Rick says when the man holds the bag out to him. He takes it and holds it in both his hands, smiling, embarrassed, at the stranger who squints at him. 

“Found it down stream. Heard you yellin’,” The stranger said. 

“Oh.” Rick replied, mortification growing. He hadn’t seen any other cars at the base of the hiking trail he’d followed to this river and hadn’t expected anyone else to be out here.

The guy must live here. Rick thought. He did look it. Had the accent too. 

“… Your wallet’s still in there. Case you were wonderin’…” The stranger went on and Rick’s eyebrows rose. 

Had this guy been going through his things when he heard him? 

“Thank you.” Rick replied and the man nodded at him, adjusting his hold on his cross bow and turning to leave before he hesitated, glancing between Rick and his shoes.

“… You alright?” The bowman asked.

Rick thought about that for a moment, thought about how his phone was probably useless, his keys lost somewhere in the river with his tent and all of his clothes now saturated inside of his back pack.

“… You don’t happen to have a phone on you, do you?” Rick asked sheepishly and the hunter sniffed and shook his head.

“Naw, got a land line though.” 

“… I-would it be alright if I used it to make a call?” Rick asked and the hunter seemed to seriously think on that. Scuffing his shoes against the dirt and sizing Rick up suspiciously. Probably trying to decide whether or not he was a crazy person and this was one big prank. 

“… Alright.” The stranger said. “But I’m warnin’ you, you start goin’ off again and I’m droppin’ your ass right back here.”

Rick laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, not sure whether the other man was joking or not. 

“I wont.” Rick said and the stranger nodded awkwardly. 

“’Right well, come on.”

And with that the other man was off. Rick barely had time to shrug on his shoes and run after the other who was fast disappearing into the woods.

\---

His name was Daryl and he lived in the woods. Was hunting when Rick had distracted him. 

That was all Rick could get out of him before they walked for almost an hour in complete silence.

It was intensely awkward and Rick wished he hadn’t slid into the river and got himself into this weird situation. Daryl walked so swiftly it was like following a damn shadow and Rick struggled to keep up with him, tripping up over and over on logs and branches.

Daryl cast a look over his shoulder when Rick almost got intimately acquainted with the ground for the 5th time, apologising and shook his head.

“What kinda brochure totin’ amateur hiker are you supposed to be, Grimes?” The man grumbled and Rick flushed, embarrassed. 

“Was just lookin’ for some quiet.” Rick said and Daryl snorted. “… What? You not impressed with my trail manners?”

“I’ve heard dogs with buckets strapped to their feet walk quieter.” Daryl grunted.

Rick chuckled at the strange visual and Daryl glanced over his shoulder, expression still grim. Daryl’s default apparently.

“Don’t laugh, I’m serious.”

“I don’t believe you.” Rick said.

“What? The buckets part?”

“Both.” 

“Hm.” Daryl hummed and they kept walking until a wooden house (closer to a shack really) came into view.

\---

Rick was staring at Daryl’s phone. It was easily 20 years old. Had a ring on the front you had to spin to get the numbers and enough dirt and questionable stains on it to make Lori cringe on sight. 

Rick was getting lost in the details as he tried to work out who to call.

2 weeks ago it would have been Shane. Actually Shane probably would’ve been out here with him and none of this would’ve ever happened. If Shane didn’t pick up he would’ve called Lori and if Lori wasn’t home he would’ve called the department. Gary from forensics owed him some favours. He would’ve come and picked him up.

But 3 days ago Rick had packed a bag, his tent and some food, got in his car and driven off. Left a note about going away for a while to think and told both Lori and Shane not to call him. He’d even taken sick leave from work to deal with the fall out of his marriage (which was apparently a lie, since Lori had been with Shane for-who knows how long). 

So his options weren’t great.

Daryl was in the kitchen while Rick drummed his fingers against his wet jeans and stared at the phone, looking for answers.

He could call a tow truck? A lock smith? Did Daryl have a yellow pages? No he had to suck it up and call Lori… No. He couldn’t talk to her now. It was humiliating enough knowing she had chosen Shane over him, had sex with him in Rick’s own bed, his own house with his own son under the same roof.

Rick bit into his knuckles and frowned deeply. Still angry at the revelation. 

“… … Phone ain’t gonna ring for ya.” Daryl’s voice said from the doorway. Rick glanced at him where the hunter was chewing through a slice of bread, watching him. Rick chuckled without feeling it and nodded.

“… Don’t know who to call.” He admitted.

Daryl raised an eyebrow but shrugged, forcing more bread into his mouth and chewing loudly.  
“Got a pick up if you need a lift…”

“No-“ Rick said suddenly making the stranger look up, “I mean-it’s alright I-you’ve done enough for me I just…” Rick picked up the receiver, dialling Lori’s number. Shoulders set. Not wanting to inconvenience his new friend (?) any further.

Rick looked straight at the wall as the phone rang, he’d called the home phone, since Lori was better for answering that then her mobile and it had an answering machine if it rung out. 

For a few seconds Rick thought he might not get through but then there was a shuffle of noises and a voice on the other line.

“Hello, Grimes residence.” Shane’s voice said, tinny but unmistakable. 

Rick seized up, mouth falling open. 

“… Hello?” Shane asked. 

Rick hung up, slamming the receiver down and dropping his face into his hands. He gripped his hair so tightly he almost broke the skin on his skull. Heart hammering. Blood rushing to his head.

“… That bad, huh?” Daryl finally said.

Rick didn’t look up, just nodded, staring down at the carpet and trying to pull himself together.

“… You want a drink?”

Rick dropped his hands from his hair, turning to stare at where Daryl was still standing in the doorway, chewing his food slowly and watching him closely. 

“… Yeah-please.” Rick said.

Because what did he have to lose?...


	2. Chapter 2

“… So I’m in the kitchen and she says “It just happened.” I said, “How long?” and she can’t even answer me. She just looks right at me and starts cryin’-“ Rick took a swig of his beer. He was sitting on Daryl’s front porch, in borrowed clothes-since his were drying on the railing and drinking his fourth beer. Daryl was still on his second, eating something brown and suspiciously jerky like, nodding sagely. “So I just get my keys and start loading my shit in a bag. You know? And she’s sayin, “Stop, stop, where are you goin? Just talk to me Rick-You never talk to me!””

Rick dropped his face against the decaying wooden railing, inhaling the smell of it. 

“… I said, “I do talk Lori-you just don’t fuckin’ listen!””

“Hm.” Daryl grunted. “How’d she like that?”

“She just went quiet.” Rick said, looking up at the wood around them, the dirt road leading off to who knows where with Daryl’s shitty old pickup parked around the side of the house. “I don’t ever swear at home. Don’t think she knew I knew how.”

“Well… She does now.” Daryl said, tearing off a piece of his jerky and chewing noisily.

“Yeah.” Rick replied. They sat in silence for a while, both lost in thought until Rick began again. Feeling a little sorry for monopolising the conversation for the past half hour. “Sorry about all this, I’m a complete stranger to you… You shouldn’t have to hear my problems.”

“Mm… It’s alright. Kinda signed up for it. Walkin’ up to a dude hollerin’ in the middle of the woods.” Daryl mumbled around his food. Rick smiled.

“… Thanks for that. By the way.”

“Ya already thanked me.” Daryl said.

“Yeah, well. Thanks for the beers then.”

“You’re buyin’ me more.” Daryl shot back, “Tomorrow, when we go pick up your car.”

“Don’t got the keys-“

“I’ll start it for ya.” Daryl said.

Rick stared at Daryl for a few seconds then laughed. Daryl glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, but smirked, sipping his beer.

“… You live out here on your own?” Rick asked after the moment had passed. Daryl grunted, licking his fingers.

“Naw, live with my brother. But he’s away. Should be for another week or so. Hard to tell, he doesn’t exactly check in.” Daryl said, looking downward as he spoke. Like he was nervous about it. Rick wondered what Daryl’s brother was like. 

“He work in town?” Rick asked and Daryl snorted.

“Merle hasn’t worked a day in his life.” He said.

Rick nodded. Maybe it was lucky he’d only met the one Dixon so far. 

“… So you’re just out here on your own?” Rick went on. He’d been with Lori since he was in high school. Not alone more than a day in his life since then. He couldn’t imagine it.

“… Yeah.” Daryl said, shrugging. “Like it like that. Quiet.” He glanced at Rick. Rick recognised it as a dig at his earlier comment on their walk home. He smirked.

“Alright, I get it.” He said.

Daryl went back to his beer and finished it. Before excusing himself to use the rest room.

Or alternatively-just pissing off the side of the porch. Rick didn’t stare, but he did laugh. Daryl was only slightly offended.

\---

“No shit, really?” 

“Yep. Kings County, Sheriff's Department.”

“…Oh… You didn’t see that green round the side then, right?” Daryl asked, glancing up at Rick out of the corner of his eye. Rick grinned, slinging his hunting rifle a little more comfortably over his arm.

“No I did not.” Rick said. 

“Good. Since if you try and take me in I’m taking you down with me.” Daryl answered.

“For what?” Rick asked. 

“I dunno, but I’ll think of something.” Daryl replied. “… You one of them crooked cops? Or you a rules book guy?”

“… Rule book… I guess.” Rick admitted, shrugging. Daryl hummed in response.

“… You and Merle definitely wouldn’t get on.” He mumbled.

“So, that’s what I do,” Rick continued, “What about you?”

Daryl squinted at Rick, then shook his head, shrugging.

“I don’t do anythin’.” He said.

“… You’re unemployed?” Rick asked. Daryl didn’t look under nourished. He was always eating and he owned a house and a car… Well a shack and a machine with wheels and an engine. That might work. Maybe.

“Yeah… You got a problem with that?” Daryl asked stopping and straightening up a little, like he was looking for a fight.

Rick shook his head, dropping Daryl’s hunting rifle so it was pointed at the ground and holding a hand up. “Not at all. Just… How’re you eatin?”

Daryl stared at Rick then rolled his eyes.

“We’re workin’ on it right now, jack ass.” He said and Rick watched as Daryl seemed to disappear into the trail ahead. As sure footed as any ranger he’d seen on tv. “… Hurry up, dumb ass!”

Rick smirked, shaking his head and followed after Daryl, trying to be quiet.

\---

Rick hadn’t meant to set himself up with a weeklong stay at Daryl Dixon’s wayward lodge, breakfast in bed included (since the breakfast was squirrel and his bed was the couch). But Daryl didn’t seem to mind the company and he didn’t bring up taking Rick into town so he just went with it. 

Truthfully it was nice-having a friend who he hadn’t known his whole life. Who was a little rough around the edges (ok, very rough, like sand paper) and who could hunt and skin things and talk smack to Rick without any venom in it. Not like Lori. Not like some of the officers in the department who didn’t respect Rick because he wasn’t Shane. 

Out here, with Daryl he was just some guy, not a father or an officer or a best friend. He was just Rick.

Rick Grimes hadn’t been just Rick for a long time. 

“… You gonna get a divorce?” Daryl asked suddenly while they listened to his shitty radio playing old rock music on some hilarious backwater channel (Daryl’s favourite, Rick found out, after he staunchly defended its quality).

Rick glanced at Daryl, then out at the woods. He scratched a hand over his chin, where stubble was quickly turning into the beginnings of a short beard without his razor present. Lori would’ve been mortified.

He kind of liked that though.

“I don’t know…” Rick said. “We gotta think about Carl… I mean, he’s only a kid… I don’t want him to go through that.”

“… So you’re gonna stay together? While that Shane guy’s just-around?” Daryl asked and Rick shook his head.

“No. Absolutely not.”

“… So a divorce then.” Daryl said and Rick wondered why it seemed so important to Daryl. When all it did was make Rick scared, sad and angry.

He clenched and unclenched his fists.

“I don’t know.” Rick said again. “I don’t… I don’t want to talk about this, Daryl.”

“Mm, alright.” Daryl said. Dropping it just like that.

If Rick had been talking to Lori the conversation would’ve gone on for half an hour more, ended with yelling, talk about how emotionally constipated he was.

Shane would’ve just teased him about it, drawn it out longer.

Rick frowned and scrubbed a hand over his eyes tiredly, Daryl watched him, then reached into his back pocket and pulled something out. He threw it to Rick, who caught it.

“Went for a walk earlier…” He said. 

Rick opened his fist and found his car keys sitting in the palm of his hand. His eyes widened and he looked up at Daryl, who had the neck of his beer bottle pressed to his lips. Watching Rick with his intense stare.   
“… How did you-“ Rick looked down at his keys, unable to believe it, then back up at Daryl who was still watching him. Expression hard to read. “… Thank you.”

“… Don’t worry ‘bout it.” Daryl replied.

“… How did you find these though, I mean-I was divin’ for em for hours!”

“… Didn’t go in the river.” Daryl said. “Found ‘em on a ledge.”

Rick’s eyes widened even further and he shook his head.

Of course that was how it happened.

“Of course…” Rick muttered, shoving them into his back pocket and drinking his own cup of water. Since he’d almost drunk all of Daryl’s beers earlier that week and felt bad about it. Daryl was still watching him, glancing down at his beer when Rick looked back over at him. 

“… You gonna go?” Daryl asked after a few seconds of silence.

Rick stopped drinking, feeling the sudden tension in the air. Not quite understanding it.

“… You want me to?” Rick asked. He was enjoying being here with Daryl, but if he was over staying his welcome he’d be happy to leave. Maybe ask if he could come back and visit sometime. If that was alright.

Daryl’s lip twitched and he bit into the corner of his thumb, looking up at Rick for a second then back at his beer. 

“… Naw.” He said, “You can stay a bit longer. If you want.” He mumbled around his hand.

Rick smiled at Daryl, nodding and bringing his cup back to his mouth.

“Thank you.” Rick said. He ignored the way he shivered a little when Daryl looked back up at him. Gaze more meaningful than it had been any day previous...


	3. Chapter 3

The atmosphere in the house (shack) changed after that conversation. It was hard to explain it. But Rick felt like he was waiting for a storm to strike between them. Not like it felt with Lori though, not like he was walking on egg shells. 

More like he was standing in a room full of gasoline with a lit match in one hand.

Something was definitely going to happen. He just wasn’t sure what the result would be. 

He thought at first that Daryl was angry with him for accepting his invitation to stay. But that seemed out of character for him-since the man always spoke up when Rick was doing something he didn’t like. (“You even think of touchin’ my crossbow and I’ll shred your jacket, deputy.”) 

And Daryl’s behavior didn’t change much. He wasn’t looking between Rick and the door, like he was urging him to go with his eyes. He took Rick out the front and they barbecued some fish they caught in the afternoon. Then sat on some logs and picked the bones out of their teeth for about an hour afterwards (“Half the fun, Grimes, don’t complain.”).

They listened to bad radio when the sun went down and Daryl offered Rick a drink of the most potent, disgusting moon shine he had ever partaken in. Which actually made Daryl laugh more than any joke Rick had attempted the past few days they’d spent together.

“You should be grateful, Grimes.” Daryl said. “That’s my daddies ‘shine you’re drinkin’, he woulda killed me for sharin’.”

“It’s awful,” Rick said, spluttering and handing Daryl’s cup back to him. “No offense to your Father.”

“Naw, offend away.” Daryl said, sipping the stuff without so much as flinching. “Fucker’s done me more favours in the dirt than he ever did alive.”

Daryl actually got drunk on the stuff. Which was a sight to see even if his temper did flare up a little more. His cheeks went pink and he stumbled trying to get to the porch to take a leak. Rick covered his mouth but Daryl still heard him laughing and gave him the finger one handed while he dropped his pants.

“Fuck off, Rick!” He barked and Rick snorted.

“I can see your ass, Daryl!” Rick cried back and Daryl hitched his pants up a little higher, swearing.

“Yeah, well, lucky you, asshole!” He yelled back and Rick shook his head. Looking away and scratching his beard with a smirk.

Daryl came back inside, fumbling with his belt buckle and bitting his lip in concentration. Rick watched him, since the action was at his eye level, until Daryl finally gave up. Glaring up at Rick, hair a mess. 

“… I’m fuckin’ drunk.” Daryl said simply.

“… I can tell.” Rick replied.

“… You gonna arrest me? Dui?” Daryl murmured voice low and gravelly, eyes half lidded.

“Not unless you try drivin’ anywhere.” Rick joked.

“Hmm.” Daryl grunted, kept watching him, he wasn’t swaying but Rick could tell he was definitely at the door step of drunkenly crashing to the floor and sleeping there.

“… You should go to bed, Daryl.”

Daryl just kept staring at Rick, so intensely it made the skin on the back of Rick’s neck heat up. Like Daryl was burning him just with his eyes.

“… You gonna tuck me in, Grimes?” He said, just above a whisper. 

Rick smirked a little, but stopped. Since Daryl didn’t look like he was joking. 

He looked dead serious, just staring at him. 

For a few seconds there were just night noises between them, wind rustling the trees outside, floor boards and walls creaking, bugs singing quietly.

Rick didn’t mean to, but his eyes dropped to Daryl’s belt again and he swallowed as an impulsive, dirty, idea gripped him.

He looked straight back up into the other man’s eyes and Daryl just smirked at him, unblinking. Like he’d seen everything that just went through Rick’s head. Rick went pink and Daryl shrugged, started unbuttoning his shirt as he swayed toward his bedroom.

“Guess I’ll just leave the door open…” He mumbled, loud enough for Rick to hear and disappeared inside without a second glance, leaving the door slightly ajar (which Daryl never did).

Rick sat where he’d been left, staring after Daryl, until he finally got up. Brushed his teeth in the kitchen, turned the light out and laid down on the couch. Trying to forget all about the offer that may or may not have been made.

\---

He lasted exactly one hour. Rick knew, because he kept checking his watch.

He could hear Daryl in the other room, moving around, getting comfortable then falling silent. He wondered if Daryl was in there, lying awake, waiting for him. If maybe he was having second thoughts-or if he really had been joking and just fallen straight asleep.

Maybe he was really drunk and the offer had just been a mistake?

Rick shouldn’t take advantage. He was still technically married. He couldn’t be out here, in the woods, in the middle of the night, thinking about going into that room with Daryl Dixon. Unemployed recluse with nothing to offer except a shitty couch, a rusty old pick up and squirrel jerky.

Except that Daryl had given Rick everything he had… Even though he didn’t know him from a bar of soap. Shared everything he could afford to. Taken Rick in for almost a whole week, fed him, dressed him and been his friend.

Rick hadn’t had anyone take care of him like that. Not someone who didn’t know him. Maybe not even Lori or Shane.

Rick stared up at the ceiling above him, then over at the slightly ajar door and before he knew it he was on his feet. Walking over to it and standing in the door way.

He waited a while, until his eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the room and he could see Daryl. A mop of hair atop a nest of blankets. Breathing calmly. 

He’s probably asleep. Rick thought and dropped his gaze, fingering the door frame nervously. He looked up again when he heard movement in the room and saw that Daryl had turned over and was looking right at him. One arm cushioned under his head. Staring.

“… You gonna stand there all night or you gonna come in here?” Daryl asked.

Rick looked down at Daryl and swallowed loudly. Not sure himself. 

Daryl watched him, then sat up, rubbing his eyes.

“… If you’re really just gonna stand there-you wanna get me a glass of water? My head’s poundin’.” Daryl asked. 

Rick nodded, spurred into action. He navigated the dark house carefully and got Daryl his water, he brought it back to the man who was still sat up in his bed, lent against the head board and staring out through the blinds in his window. 

Daryl turned back to Rick when held out the cup for Daryl who took it, but grabbed Rick’s wrist before he could pull away.

They stared at one another, eyes impossible to make out completely in the dark, but Rick had been beside Daryl enough to know exactly how he was looking at him now.

Daryl sipped his water, then put it down on his bedside table without releasing Rick, who felt like he was under some spell, skin burning where the other man touched it and unable to move.

“Come on.” Daryl said and pulled Rick closer. Rick took a step, then another, until his knees hit the edge of the bed. Daryl used his other hand to pull the blanket back and kept pulling him forward, inch by inch until Rick had to sit or fall over. 

The bed bounced, old springs loud in the silence. As Rick slid onto it. 

“… Don’t make me do all the work here, Rick.” Daryl said and he sounded a little bit nervous now. Rick swallowed again, defrosting a little at the nerves in the other’s voice. 

Daryl let go of his hand as Rick swung his feet up onto the bed. Leaning against the head board and trying to calm himself down. His heart was racing, all the blood rushing to his face as he pictured Daryl just staring at him. Watching him getting more and more comfortable in his bed. In his room.

Rick licked his lips and turned to Daryl in the dark.

He’d never been with anyone but Lori, he’d never been with a man, not once and it seemed only right to say so. But he was embarrassed by that now, felt inexperienced and clumsy in comparison to Daryl. Who could walk through the woods without making a single sound and coax a married man into his bed without trying. 

“… You’re over thinkin’ it.” Daryl said, reached out and palmed Rick’s neck. Rick swallowed, skin lighting up under the touch. 

“I haven’t-uh-“Rick licked his lips, mouth suddenly dry. He hadn’t been this nervous since he asked Lori to marry him-and look how that turned out.

“… What?” Daryl asked, “Been with a dude?”

“… Anyone.” Rick whispered and Daryl stopped where he’d been rubbing his thumb along Rick’s stubbly jaw. “But Lori.”

“… Oh.” Daryl said.

Rick flushed so hard he felt like he must be glowing.

“… Well that uh… That’s fine.” Daryl said, nodding to himself. 

Rick nodded awkwardly as well and then Daryl was leaning forward and pressing his lips to Rick’s.

The match dropped. His heart thundered, his skin burned and Rick fought to maintain his composure as he reached for Daryl, found the man’s shoulders, bare, he was shirtless. Rick had never seen Daryl shirtless-let alone felt him.

Daryl sighed against his lips and kept kissing him while Rick shyly rubbed his hands along Daryl’s shoulders. He was firm, broad, where Lori was thin and petite. Night and day.

It wasn’t fair to Lori to say that this felt better, but it felt brighter. More dangerous and certainly more passionate than anything Rick had been involved in for years.

Daryl had a hand on the back of Rick’s neck, was squeezing him there and pulling him forward again, closer. Rick followed him, until he had to turn onto his hands and knees while Daryl shuffled back. Pulling Rick on top of him so that Rick was straddling his thighs.

“Lie down, come on,” Daryl huffed, pressed a hand to the small of Rick’s back until he was flat on top of Daryl. He was worried he might be crushing him, since Lori sometimes complained that Rick was too heavy on top of her but Daryl just brought his knees up. Hooking one leg between Rick’s and bringing their hips together.

And holy shit Daryl was hard.

“Don’t-“Daryl said when Rick tried to prop himself up more, so they weren’t so flush, embarrassed. He pushed Rick back down, grinding them together a little and Rick felt his dick twitch in his pants. He bit his lip, huffing as Daryl just kept rolling his hips into him. Small movements. Teasing. “Do ya like it?” Daryl growled and Rick shivered a little. Because yeah, okay, Daryl sounded a lot more masculine like this. Just breathing right into his ear. “… Feels like you do.”

“Yeah.” Rick whispered. Daryl grunted and lent up, kissing him some more. He bit Rick’s lip between his, pulled at it, baiting Rick. Who started kissing back, rubbing his hips into the other as Daryl’s hand at the small of his back drifted lower. Grabbed a hand full of Rick’s ass. Second one coming to join the first and pushing him downward. Increasing the friction.

Daryl huffed through his nose, breaking off from Rick’s lips and letting his head fall back against his pillow. Panting.

“Fuckin deputy Grimes. Ass like a steel drum.” He squeezed and Rick made a surprised noise that made Daryl breath out a laugh. Rick went to pull back, a little out of his depth but Daryl held him close, moving with him, not budging, keeping their hips rolling against one another. Rick was sweating, dropped his forearm next to Daryl’s face and brushed the hair back from the other man’s eyes.

“Wish I could see you-“ Rick whispered and Daryl let out a loud pant, rutting against Rick with a bit more gusto.

“You can see me enough.” Daryl grunted, “But I wouldn’t mind feelin’ you more…”

Daryl released a hand on Rick’s ass and pulled at the collar of his shirt. Rick got the message and lent back enough to peel it off. Throwing it-somewhere-in the dark room. Daryl grunted in appreciation and reached between them when Rick settled back on top of him. Coarse fingers roaming down his neck and along his chest. Over his stomach and to just above the waist band of his pants.

Rick groaned a little when Daryl stopped there, just rubbing his fingertips in circles along Rick’s hip. 

“Don’t stop there-“ He whispered and he could practically feel Daryl’s smirk.

“What do you want then?” Daryl asked. Thumb playing at the edge of Rick’s pants.

“Touch me.” Rick said. He wasn’t one for talking much during sex. Embarrassed him too much and Lori didn’t like it. 

But Daryl kept pushing his buttons anyway.

“Touch you-where?” Daryl asked, thrusting up against Rick, keeping him off balance, using his other hand on his ass and his leg looped between Rick’s thighs to keep him from going anywhere.

Rick squirmed, breathing shallowly.

“… You know where.” He growled.

“I wanna hear you say it.” Daryl said.

Rick swallowed, grabbing a fist full of the blankets beside Daryl’s head and squeezing to try and keep it together and stop himself from moaning.

“… My cock.” He breathed.

“Better.” Daryl said and slid his hand down the front of Rick’s pants, brushing his fingers over the head of his cock and making Rick gasp. He didn’t give Rick any room though, just fisted him in his jeans, squeezing and rubbing the length of him, his balls, wiping his callused thumb over the wet head of it.

Rick moaned. Thrusted against him and Daryl purred, bit Rick’s lip again, kissed him furiously, wetly, forcing his tongue into Rick’s mouth and rutting up against Rick and his own hand.

“Fuck-Rick!” Daryl stuttered. Hips jumping, barely able to get the words out against Rick’s mouth because Rick was kissing him back, just as manically, matching Daryl’s enthusiasm as he got closer and closer to orgasm. “Love this, wanna fuck you-wanna fuck me?”

“Yeah,” Rick gasped, “Yeah I do.”

“I’ll let ya,” Daryl panted, grinding against Rick painfully, “I will, I’ll let ya-don’t let anyone-but I will-I will-“ He promised over and over against Rick’s collar bone as Rick adjusted them, getting a grip on the head board and taking a hold of one of Daryl’s knees, pushing it up and slamming his hips into Daryl’s hand, his crotch, his cock.

The whole bed creaked, slamming into the wall behind it loudly as Rick imagined fucking Daryl. What it would be like, how tight he’d be. He pressed his forehead to Daryl’s, breathing hard while Daryl panted, needy sounds escaping him as Rick rammed into him.

Daryl grabbed a fist full of Rick’s hair and squeezed and that was all it took for Rick to come, hips hammering, into Daryl’s palm. 

Daryl rubbed him through it, kissing him and palming him until he was spent. He slapped Rick’s ass when he began to slow, caught up for a second in intense afterglow. 

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare-“ He warned and Rick laughed, dizzy, kept pounding against Daryl while Daryl slid his hands down the back of Rick’s pants and clawed at him. Finger nails digging into him. Rick reached between them and fisted Daryl through his old jeans.

Daryl came without making a single sound. Whole body arching, while Rick kissed his neck and rubbed his palm against his cock over and over until Daryl stopped shuddering and lightly batted him away. Rick rolled off Daryl, both sighing contently in the after math.

“… Well fuck.” Daryl said after a long while, wiping his dirtied hand against the sheets and relaxing into the bed. “… Haven’t come in my pants like that since high school.”

Rick covered his bright red face and laughed...


	4. Chapter 4

Rick woke up the next day to the smell of cigarette smoke. He felt disorientated for a while. It was early morning and the room he was in was dark. Cluttered, with beer bottles and clothes strewn everywhere in the tiny space. 

Grey, cool, morning light poured in through an open window just next to the bed and Rick turned toward it and caught Daryl having a quiet moment. 

He was still shirtless, lent up against the window frame, knocking cigarette ash into an old beer bottle, looking off at something in the distance. Completely off guard. His back was pale, paler than his arms and face. Suggesting that he was rarely without a shirt. 

And Rick could see why. 

Daryl had scars like lash marks from a belt or whip crossing over shoulder blades and toward his tail bone suggesting some kind of abuse. Rick had never seen anything like it in real life. He’d seen photographs of domestic abuse cases, sure. But on Daryl they were real and tragic and the sight of them made Rick’s gut twist with empathy.

Rick closed his eyes, knowing he wasn’t meant to have seen them. 

He pretended to be asleep and cautiously rearranged himself so he had his back to Daryl. Keeping his breathing even. There was quiet for a few more minutes before he heard Daryl pulling the window back down half closed and carefully sitting back on the bed. Springs creaking anyway. 

Rick thought that was a good enough moment to ‘wake’ after he heard Daryl pulling on some fresh clothes (off the floor). He sighed and turned, looking over at Daryl who was thumbing the buttons of his shirt together. 

“Hey,” Rick murmured, voice hoarse from sleep, slightly wary of Daryl after what they’d done the night before. He wasn’t sure what the code of conduct was for-for whatever they were doing and was waiting on the other man’s reaction before he came on too sweet (like he felt naturally inclined.)

Daryl paused and glanced over at Rick, blinking owlishly in the early morning light. He didn’t look quite awake yet and looked even less used to conversation in the mornings.

Rick knew Daryl usually went out before he woke up. Would return a few hours after dawn cooking something or working on some project on the porch. But he’d never caught him in the morning since Daryl could be so silent when he wanted to. 

Rick was a slow waker himself but Daryl barely acknowledged him, nodding at him and continuing to button up his shirt. 

“Goin’ out.” Daryl grunted.

“… Want company?” Rick asked though he didn’t really want to get up. But if Daryl wanted him out of his room he would understand.

“Naw, you sleep more.” Daryl said, picking up his boots from the foot of his bed and lacing them up. 

Rick did his best not to read into that as a rejection and just nodded, feeling a bit awkward in the other man’s bed as he got ready to leave. Was this what one night stands were like? How awful.

Daryl finished pulling on his boots and stood, grabbing his belt and hunting knife and strapping them to his hips. Rick watched him and Daryl picked up his cross bow from next to his door and then stopped, one foot out the door, to turn back to Rick.

They stared at one another and Daryl muddled his lip between his teeth before putting down his bow and crossing over to Rick to grab him by his jaw, kissing him chastely and then going to leave again. 

“Don’t touch my shit.” Daryl warned on the way out, scooping up his cross bow while Rick blinked, lips parted, the moment so fast he barely had time to react. 

“What, the bottles?” Rick quipped finally as Daryl disappeared out the door.

“You heard me, Grimes.” Daryl barked.

Rick smiled, shaking his head and getting more comfortable as he heard the front door slam and Daryl’s footsteps fading into the world outside.

\---

Rick woke again to the sound of bed springs and chewing.

He started awake and Daryl glanced over at him, ripping into a piece of jerky furiously. He held some out to Rick who took it, sitting up. 

“What time is it?” Rick asked, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He’d overslept to nightmares about Lori leaving him and taking the house. Just uprooting the entire building and leaving Rick with nothing. His image erased from all their photos. Carl looking at him and seeing a stranger…

Rick shivered and shrugged the feelings of guilt when summoning Carl to mind while lying in the bed of a man who had been a stranger less than 10 days previous.

“Late enough.” Daryl said. “Thinkin’ of goin’ into town. Figured you could buy me that beer you owe me.” 

Rick stared at Daryl who just chewed ferociously until he chuckled.

“You woke me to buy beer?” Rick asked. 

Daryl eyed him for a few seconds, chewing and swallowing then shrugged.

“Need a better reason?” 

Rick thought on that while chewing his food (salty, not exactly great, but edible). Still trying to get a read on Daryl and where he stood in regards to him now that they had… Well.

Now that they weren’t such strangers.

“…Guess not.”

Daryl licked his fingers, then swung his legs off the bed. 

“I’m startin’ the car, get dressed.” 

\---

‘Town’ in Daryl’s neck of the wood consisted of a corner store, pharmacy, dive bar, a few specialty shops and a public rest room. 

Daryl drove them in, not talking much on the drive down and they parked a little ways away from the main strip. When Rick commented on that Daryl just shrugged.

“It’s my brother’s car… And he ain’t exactly adored. Better to stay off the main road.”

“… Alright then,” Rick agreed. They walked to the corner store together, Daryl chewing on a strip of gum he’d pulled out of the glove box. Rick could see that being in town made Daryl nervous. His steps weren’t as sure and he seemed to hunch in on himself, eyes darting around like he was expecting to get pulled up at any moment.

If Rick didn’t know Daryl and he’d have been on duty, he would’ve watched him. Been suspicious of his motives, maybe expected him to attempt to rob someone. With his hands shoved deeply in his pockets and his torn up jeans.

Rick felt a little guilty about that thought.

They walked into the corner store and Daryl told him to go get beer while he went and grabbed some things. Rick did so, going up to the register and paying for the beers as well as a razor, some snacks and a bar of soap. 

The man behind the counter gave him a strange look when he produced some pretty sad looking cash (which had gone for a dip in the river a week previous) but didn’t say anything until after he’d handed it over.

“You come in with that Dixon boy?” The old woman behind the counter said. Rick stared at her, picking up his box of beer, bag on top.

“… Yeah.” He said, testily. He wasn’t sure what kind of reputation Daryl might have in a small community like this. Wasn’t sure he cared to know either.

The old woman stared long and hard at him. Then shook her head.

“You watch out for yourself then. They’re known for causin’ a bit of trouble round here.”

Rick felt a little offended on Daryl’s behalf but nodded anyway, wishing the woman a good day and leaving. 

He waited out the front for Daryl but saw him coming out of the pharmacy instead, tucking something into the back of his jeans and throwing his shirt over the top of it. Something Rick had seen petty thieves do hundreds of times.

He really hoped Daryl hadn’t just stolen something. Rick liked him-of course. But he was also a cop. It’d be hypocritical of him to let something like that slide just because he was interested in Daryl.

Daryl spotted him and came over to him, still chewing his gum. 

“You got everythin’?” He mumbled. Daryl wasn’t meeting Rick’s eye for some reason and Rick really, really hoped he hadn’t stolen anything. 

“Yeah.” He said out loud and the two of them returned to the truck, loading up and hopping inside.

\---

Rick brought up his conversation with the woman in the corner store later, while he watched Daryl butchering a deer. It was morbidly fascinating and Daryl was walking him through it. There was a shed out the back which Daryl used primarily for preparing kills and it made Rick shiver a bit to be inside it. The walls were lined with furs and some bleached bones hung from the ceiling.

It looked like something off the set of a horror movie but Daryl was completely unfazed by the gore. Bloodied up to the ends of his elbows as he sectioned the creature off with a knife like a machete. 

“Mmhm, yeah that’d be old Marie. Woman hates me on principle. Damn nosy too.” Daryl grunted. “Merle’s always stealin’ her shit but she can never catch him at it. She almost shot him once over a pack of gum.”

“Did he take the gum?” Rick asked. 

Daryl chuckled, wiping the sweat from his brow on his shoulder to avoid the mess on his hands.

“Hell, I still don’t know.”

Rick nodded and went quiet. Daryl kept working for a while before he looked up at Rick, who hadn’t stopped talking all day.

“… You alright?” He asked.

Rick nodded, spinning his wedding ring on his finger cautiously. Daryl’s eyes tracked the movement and he frowned, going back to what he was doing.

“… You don’t have to stay.” Daryl grunted. 

Rick shook his head. “I ain’t thinkin’ about that yet.”

Daryl huffed, movements getting a little more agitated. “… If you don’t want to be here. I ain’t makin’ you.” 

“I know that.” Rick said, “I want to be here…If you still want me?”

Daryl glanced up at him, fixing him with a serious look before he snorted, shrugging. But Rick could see where colour was bright on Daryl’s cheeks and ears. Like the admission embarrassed him.

“What’re you gonna do when your wife sends out a search party?” Daryl asks.

Rick looked down at his wedding ring on his finger and closed his hands into fists, swallowing deeply, the hurt of her betrayal still fresh and sore.

“I don’t know.” Rick mumbled...


	5. Chapter 5

“… Did you steal something today?” Rick finally asked after dinner. Daryl was sitting in front of the radio, feet up on his dining table and sewing a hole closed in a pair of his jeans, biting his lip in concentration. 

Daryl glanced up at Rick then scowled at him, tilting his head to the side.

“What?” He asked, sounding pissed off already. Rick swallowed a little uncomfortably and wished he hadn’t said anything almost immediately.

“At the pharmacy-I saw you come out with somethin’, tucked it down your pants…” Rick shrugged, “It’s stupid, doesn’t matter, just the cop in me-“

Daryl put down his jeans, glaring at Rick.

“That’s what you think I am? Some crim?” 

“That’s not what I meant-“

“What’d you mean then, Deputy?” Daryl spat and Rick went red, he crossed his arms and shook his head. 

“I just-never mind.”

“No I wanna hear it.” Daryl snapped. “What do you think I took?”

“Daryl-“

“You wanna see it?” Daryl asked, getting up and going over to where he’d dropped a bag with some things inside on the kitchen counter when they came home. “Well go on officer, got a receipt and everythin’ just in case I get pulled up!”

Daryl crossed back to Rick, who was wide eyed at Daryl’s outburst, upending the bag onto the table in front of them. 

A pack of unopened smokes, gum, lube and a packet of condoms clattered onto the table noisily, receipt floating down to land neatly on top of the pile.

Rick flushed so deeply he didn’t know what to say.

“… You bought condoms?” Rick finally said and Daryl looked like he was about to smack Rick. He snatched the smokes from the pile and stormed out onto the porch mumbling something like ‘fuckin’ unbelievable’ on the way past.

Rick stayed where he’d been left. Sitting at Daryl’s kitchen table, staring at a pack of Trojans and wondering how he could have been so clueless.

It was almost a quarter of an hour before Rick realised that Daryl wasn’t coming back inside and he’d have to apologise soon or he’d miss out on a chance to be with someone who made him feel alive for the first time in almost 10 years.

Daryl was sitting on the front porch, arms crossed firmly over him, sucking down a cigarette like it’d solve every issue he had. He didn’t look up when Rick came outside and Rick could practically feel the humming of the other man’s anger.

Rick stared at Daryl, then held out a beer toward him. Daryl glanced at it, then kept his eyes forward.

“Grimes you hand me that bottle and I’ll glass ya with it.”

Rick put the beer down on the deck and stood beside Daryl who turned away from him.

“… I’m sorry.” Rick said.

“Bet you are.” Daryl hissed. “That before or after you worked out I was thinkin’ ‘bout lettin’ you back in my bed?”

Rick swallowed, a little stung by the comment and the insinuation that that offer was now firmly off the table. 

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” Rick said. “I didn’t think before I talked. I just-I’m sorry Daryl.”

“You keep sayin’ that word.” Daryl spat. “Like it means somethin’. But I get it. I’m just nothin’ to you- some redneck out the middle of butt fuck nowhere. Your little get away from your mess of a life...”

“That isn’t true-“ Rick said.

“Shut up!” Daryl fired back, glaring hotly at Rick as he cut him off. “I mean it, you get away from me Grimes. Before I do somethin’ you won’t like.”

“Daryl you’re my friend,” Rick insisted and Daryl snorted, “I’m being honest-I don’t-the only other friend I’ve ever really had was Shane and he… He fucked my wife.” Rick’s voice seized up a little at the end of that sentence. He hadn’t really gotten used to saying it aloud-or even letting himself think it too often. “I know I offended you-and I want this to work. I don’t want it to end… Even if we just-forget last night happened. I’d be happy so long as I knew you didn’t hate me.”

“… Why are you even still here?” Daryl asked and Rick went red, hurt by the question. Daryl turned to Rick, just illuminated from the light inside and the end of his cigarette. But Daryl didn’t look angry, he was just staring at him, like he was trying to work him out. “I gave you your keys back. You know where the phone is… But I come back this mornin’ and you’re still in my bed. Sleepin’…”

Daryl shook his head and Rick looked away, flustered and humiliated. Like he’d failed somehow, a feeling he was getting more and more familiar with nowadays.

Daryl finished his cigarette and neither talked for a while, Rick clenching and unclenching his hands. Stomach writhing in knots of anxiety. It was too late for him to leave Daryl’s house now, not without asking for a ride to his car. He was stuck here, with Daryl, who didn’t want him. Had wanted him gone earlier that day and didn’t know how to ask him to leave.

The hunter sighed, flicking his smoke into the night and stuffing the pack into his top pocket. He looked back up at Rick then, not as angry now, but the atmosphere between them was still tense and charged. Like something had to give.

“… I never had anyone who stayed.” Daryl finally admitted and Rick glanced at him. “… Not for more than a day. Maybe two… I don’t-hm.” Daryl scratched the back of his neck, looking a little red. “… I don’t know what to do with you.”

Rick watched him. Feeling kind of glad that he wasn’t the only one totally out of his depth.

He decided to take a leap of faith.

“… We could see where it goes.” Rick suggested and Daryl eyed him, scrubbing a hand over his mouth and still on his guard.

“… We ain’t the same, Rick.” Daryl said after some thought. “You proved as much, in there. You’re a cop. Probably got a nice house, had a nice wife-well-nice enough…“ Daryl shrugged. “… I don’t have anythin’, not anythin’ to give you and you ain’t even met my brother yet.” Daryl chuckled darkly, “He’d eat you up and spit you out.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Rick said.

“It does.” Daryl shot back. “Don’t act like it doesn’t, this ain’t some fairy tale… It can’t last.”

Rick licked his lips, wringing his hands together nervously while Daryl shook his head.

“We did this the wrong way round…” Daryl murmured. “Should’ve just fucked and got it over with. Sent you on your way…” 

“I wouldn’t have gone for it,” Rick said and Daryl turned to stare at him, eyes a little wide. “No offense but… I didn’t even know you were-uh-interested-“ Rick said, glossing over the ‘gay’ part because he wasn’t sure Daryl would like that. “-Until you pretty much slapped me in the face with it last night.”

Daryl looked honestly a little surprised and red, very red.

“… Seriously?”

“Seriously.” 

“… You thought I was what? Just a really nice guy?” Daryl asked. “Take you in out of the goodness of my heart? Or some shit?”

Rick flushed and nodded. 

“… Yeah, pretty much.”

Daryl stared for a while longer before he chuckled, covering his mouth and laughing for the first time that night. Rick felt stupid as hell-and maybe a little bit used at this point-but it was nice to hear the other laugh after his outrage earlier.

“… Man you are somethin’.” Daryl murmured, looking up at him, a spark of interest in his eye. A look that Rick now understood after the night before.

“I’m married.” Rick said, shrugging, “I don’t really… Look much.”

“… Why me then?” Daryl asked. “What makes me so special? Know it sure as shit ain’t my fancy mansion…”

Rick smiled and shrugged again, scratching his nose nervously.

“I just… Like ya.” 

Daryl smirked at Rick for a few seconds then dropped his gaze sighing deeply.

“… I’m gonna hurt you, Grimes.” Daryl murmured, looking out into the night. “Ain’t never had anythin’ nice. Don’t know what to do with it. Gonna be honest with you.”

“It’s alright,” Rick said and Daryl looked up at Rick, whose jaw was set and his stance a little more confident. “I can take it.”

They stared at one another, in the soft light of the early evening until Daryl finally hummed, getting to his feet and stepping into Rick’s personal space, leaning in close enough that Rick could smell the cigarette smoke on him. 

“Good thing I got those condoms then.” He whispered into Rick’s ear then passed him, walking back inside.

Rick knew that the road to ruin started with the first few steps he took back into Daryl’s house but he walked them all the same...


	6. Chapter 6

Rick was lying on his back in Daryl’s bed, looking up at the ceiling and wondering how on Earth he’d got here. He moaned, when Daryl bobbed a little more steadily on the end of his cock. Calloused fingers holding his hips down. Shoulders and jaw straining with effort.

Rick was totally naked, Daryl half so, room illuminated by a shitty light bulb hanging over head that made it hard to see Daryl and the scars that criss crossed across his back and even on his torso. 

Rick had been on the edge of orgasm for what felt like hours as Daryl teased him through foreplay. Undressed him roughly, told him he was going to blow him and followed through, pulling Rick out of his jeans like he was hungry for it.

When Rick tried to touch his hair Daryl grabbed his wrists, pinned them to his sides and gave him a warning look. 

Daryl might be the one sucking his cock but he was controlling this. Had made it clear when they started…

“You ain’t done this before.” Daryl had murmured and Rick had shook his head, no, because he hadn’t. “Now I ain’t criticising your techniques-but I’m not lettin’ you fuck me ‘till we work on this a bit. I thought you mighta been one of those closet-types. Not a total virgin.”

“I’m not a virgin,” Rick had said, flushed. 

“You ever sucked dick?” Daryl had asked.

Rick had stared at Daryl, then shook his head, red. 

“You done anal?”

Rick flushed even deeper and slowly shook his head again.

“Virgin.” Daryl whispered and had taken his lip between his teeth hard enough to bruise Rick’s mouth, dominating him before they were even in his bed…

Daryl pulled off from Rick when Rick had thrown his head back, hips thrusting upward. Only just managing to stop himself from coming into the other man’s mouth. Daryl wiped his red lips on his wrist and scratched his blunt finger nails down the inside of Rick’s thighs.

“Pass me the lube.” He said and Rick grabbed it from the night stand while Daryl scooped up his beer from the floor where he’d left it and drank some, licking his lips, pupils dark.

He took the plastic bottle from Rick and stood up from where he’d been kneeling on the floor, placing his beer bottle on the bed side table and crawling on top of the other man. 

He kissed Rick wetly, his mouth tasted bitterly of pre cum, smokes and beer and Rick groaned. He’d never tasted anything like it. It wasn’t nice, but it was intoxicating, strong and went straight to his dick. He could smell Daryl’s sweat from here, even though they’d both showered before they went to bed. 

Rick had even shaved and Daryl’s stubbled jaw scratched against the sensitive skin there while he kissed him.

“I’m gonna open you up a bit.” He murmured against Rick’s ear and Rick squirmed, one of Daryl’s hands cupping his dick as he said so. “Then if you like that I’ll fuck you… I think you will.”

“Yeah,” Rick gasped a little, unbelievably hard. He’d thought that maybe Daryl had only been so talkative the night before because he was still drunk.

But sober Daryl was just as vocal and even more in control like it came to him naturally, just like he weaved through the woods and peeled meat from bone.

Rick wasn’t sure how this side of Daryl had eluded him for so long.

He hummed and smacked at Rick’s hips, getting him to roll over. Rick clutched the pillow beneath his torso, looked over his shoulder at Daryl who was on his knees, breaking the seal on the bottle of lube and tossing the plastic to the side carelessly. 

Daryl looked up at Rick, feeling his stare on him and the air between them sweltered. 

Rick shuddered and turned back to the mattress. Daryl’s hungry look a little too intense for him with his cock trapped between himself and the bed and ass offered up, vulnerable and skyward. He rubbed against the sheets subtly as he waited for Daryl to begin, disguising it as him getting comfortable. Daryl snorted.

“Real sneaky Grimes.” He put a hand between Rick’s legs and stroked him from the back, then squeezed him tight enough to hurt a little. Rick moaned again, shoulders tensing and staying perfectly still until Daryl released him. Rubbing him from the base of his balls to the cleft of his ass and back, slowly, over and over, fingers just brushing over his hole and his balls every time. 

Rick panted, getting worked up again and desperate for whatever was coming next.

“Come on,” He whispered and Daryl hummed behind him, pushing his index fingers a little harder against Rick’s perineum. 

“What, you don’t like this?” He asked, rubbing Rick’s balls lightly, making him squirm. “Looks like you do…”

“Quit teasin’ me,” Rick bit out and Daryl huffed, amused.

“You’re so easy though…” Daryl said, before he pressed two fingers harder against Rick’s tight entrance, leaning up to whisper into his ear. “Imagine what you’ll be like when I’m in you.”

Rick could imagine it, had done, since Daryl brought it up the night before. Maybe even earlier than that if he was honest. When Daryl was lifting fire wood in the afternoons or when the muscles of his arms flexed while he held his bow.

Whatever Daryl said Rick was no virgin and once he had an idea in his head of what he wanted it was difficult to think of anything else.

Rick shivered thinking on it and Daryl flipped open the lube he’d got ready. Rick heard him squirt some onto his fingers and only looked back at the other when he felt him shuffle, getting comfortable laid up on his side beside Rick. Weight rested on one forearm.

He glanced up at Rick, smirked at the man watching him then pressed his wet fingers against Rick’s hole. 

Rick honestly wasn’t sure how this was going to work-I mean he knew the concept-but while Daryl rubbed persistently against him he found himself clenching on instinct. Sure of what was coming next and bracing for it without meaning to. 

Daryl could tell, of course, and he used his other hand to part Rick’s cheeks further and leave him more open and bare, pressing the tip of one finger against him and then carefully pushing in.

Rick inhaled. The sensation of Daryl’s finger inside of him incredibly intimate and strange. He gripped the pillow under his chest tightly, suddenly unsure of himself. He understood now why Lori had been so uncomfortable about the idea of this. Had a lot more respect for her decision to say no.

“Stop thinkin’,” Daryl said, withdrew his finger and rubbed him more, leaning forward and kissing Rick’s back. 

“Wasn’t.” Rick sighed as Daryl rubbed him more, stroking over his balls from behind again, comforting him through it. 

“Liar.” Daryl circled his hole, dripping more lube between Rick’s cheeks and rubbing it over him. He pressed back into Rick and pushed deeper, in and out, until Rick slowly became used to it. Body relaxing a bit while Daryl breathed deeply.

When Rick was finally confident enough that he didn’t look like a total blushing teenager he glanced back at Daryl.

Daryl was completely focused, eyes half glazed over and his other hand palming himself in his jeans dirtily. Clearly getting off on this more than anything they’d done so far. So into it he didn’t even notice Rick staring at him. 

Rick’s dick twitched at the sight-knowing that he was doing this to Daryl and while he thought so Daryl pushed a second finger into him, filling him further.

Rick groaned, hips jumping, trying to escape on impulse. Daryl grabbed him, held him down and scooted closer, using one forearm over his thighs to keep him pinned.

“Don’t run, it’s alright, its okay.” He gently pushed in and out of Rick, deep enough he could stroke his thumb over him and Rick shuddered, gasping, thrusting into the sheets below as he got used to it again. Feeling fuller and fuller and enjoying the sensation. 

Daryl was intensely thorough. He didn’t allow Rick an inch, kept him pressed down to the mattress as he added a third and fourth finger to him. Going so slowly Rick had to stop him, twice, when he brushed against something electric in Rick that shot right up his spine and into his cock and almost made him come too soon.

As far as Rick could tell, mouthing wetly against the sheets below him and groaning, shuddering, Daryl was getting impatient himself. He could hear him, cursing sometimes, the sound of him touching himself, the scrub of skin against denim.

Daryl had been at it for almost 10 minutes when he finally pulled out of Rick, rubbing his thumb over his twitching entrance. 

“That’ll do.” Daryl said, “Turn over.” 

Rick didn’t speak, just rolled over. Cock bouncing against his stomach as he went. Lying flat on his back while he watched Daryl kicking his jeans off violently and grabbing a condom out of his pocket. 

Once he was naked Daryl crawled up and knelt between Rick’s thighs, whose legs were splayed open while Rick stroked himself, staring up at Daryl, hypnotised. Waiting with nervous anticipation for what was coming next.

Daryl stared down at Rick, eyes darting from Rick’s red lips to his flushed chest and where he was stroking his long cock, then back to his eyes again. Like he couldn’t decide what he liked looking at more. 

“See somethin’ you like?” Rick murmured, voice a little gravelly from arousal.

Daryl didn’t smile, eyes dark and cock flushed and full as he pumped it in his hand then released it. Ripping open the condom foil and rolling one onto himself. 

“Lots.” Daryl mumbled and bent over Rick, kissing him roughly, grabbing his arms and pinning his wrists either side of his head.

Now Rick was a trained police officer, he wasn’t a push over and if he wanted to he could’ve probably broken the grip Daryl had on him. But being held down like that? After years of having to be the dominant one in bed with Lori out of some kind of masculine duty?

He didn’t want it to end.

“I’m gonna fuck you now.” Daryl grunted, grinding his cock against Rick’s and Rick groaned desperately, nodding. “You can say no-if you want-we could stop here.”

“I want it.” Rick hissed and Daryl thrust against him a little harder, still holding him down while Rick tried to pull free.

“What do you want?” Daryl asked.

“I want you.” Rick said with conviction, kissing Daryl deeply.

The kiss was sweeter than their other ones and when Daryl pulled back from Rick he thought he might’ve upset him a little. But Daryl just stared at him for a moment before picking up one of Rick’s legs and throwing it over his shoulder.

“Time to give you what you want then,” He spat and Rick sucked in a short breath as Daryl pressed the head of his wrapped cock against his hole, guiding himself in with one hand.

He bore forward with all his weight and Rick tried to breathe in desperately, body not sure whether to relax or constrict. Daryl took Rick’s cock with one hand and pumped him fast and Rick let out a wet cry as Daryl sunk into him. Pushing past the resistant ring of muscle and sinking deep into Rick.

Daryl grunted, letting go of Rick’s cock and pushing in deeper, he pulled out a little, then thrust back in making Rick gasp, staring at Daryl with wide open eyes.

“Fuck,” Daryl panted, “Fuckin-knew it’d be like this just-fuck Rick-“

Rick understood the sentiment, nodding, open mouthed, as Daryl began to roll his hips into him Thrusting in and half out of him slowly until Rick began to relax more against the intrusion.

They picked up a rhythm and Daryl finally looked up from where they were joined, sweat dripping from him, hitching Rick’s leg higher on his shoulder as his hips thrust forward fast enough to jostle Rick.

“Good?” Daryl gasped and Rick nodded. Daryl leant forward to kiss Rick and kept their lips locked while he began to slam harder into him. Pounding so deeply Rick cried out against him, sliding up the bed. 

Daryl grabbed his wrists again. Held him down and Rick had nowhere to go. Caught between Daryl’s mouth, his hands and at the mercy of his cock pushing in and out of him violently.

“Fuckin-knew it” Daryl gasped, when Rick arched his back more, every inch he gave snapped up by Daryl until the bed was creaking and he was letting out a long line of ‘oh’s’ and ‘please’, “Knew you’d be like this-knew you’d be good at this-look at me!”

Rick looked up at Daryl while the hunter pushed deep into him and held him there, impaled and completely caged in by Daryl. 

“I’m gonna remember you like this.” Daryl whispered and Rick thrust back against Daryl desperately while Daryl remained still, taut and teasing him, buried as far as he could go. Rick huffed out short, needy, breaths.

“Daryl,” He gasped and Daryl just remained where he was while Rick rolled his hips, trying to get more friction, writhing, “Fuck me-you asshole!” Rick spat.

Daryl grinned.

“Alright.”

Daryl’s pace was absolutely merciless. Rick’s head banged against the headboard hard enough to bruise while Daryl grabbed his other leg and hitched it up over his shoulder like the first. Dragged Rick down the bed some and bent him, held onto his hips so tightly there’d be finger marks there for sure.

Rick came within moments, one hand fisted in Daryl’s hair the other stroking himself furiously.

Daryl fucked him through it, didn’t relent for a moment, just bent him further onto himself and made Rick come over his own chest, splashed onto his own neck. 

Daryl grabbed Rick’s hips again and thrust into him while Rick brushed the hair back from his flushed face, wiped a thumb over Daryl’s lip and pushed a thumb into the hunter’s mouth.

Daryl came silently, just like the first time, biting Rick’s thumb and sucking in a deep breath through his nose, pushed into Rick so firmly it was like they were one. Completely motionless. His hips jumped a few more times and he rocked into Rick, fucking him through the final waves of his orgasm. 

Once his hips had slowed Daryl finally let go of his abused thumb and dropped his forehead to rest against Rick’s collar bone, letting the other man’s legs drop to either side of his hips as he pulled out of him. Breathing hard.

They lay like that. Daryl trying to catch his breath, Rick brushing his fingers through Daryl’s hair over and over again.

“… Fuck me.” Daryl panted, straightening to strip off the used condom and throw it away. Before he fell onto his back and reached for his beer, drinking some thirstily and offering it to Rick who took it. Straightening out his sore thighs and trying to get used to the way his ass felt sort’ve empty without Daryl pounding the hell out of him.

“Yeah…” Rick sighed contently, before swigging some of Daryl’s beer and wiping his mouth on his arm. “… It always like that?” He finally plucked up the courage to ask and Daryl shook his head.

“Naw… That was… Well for a first time that was pretty fuckin’ alright. Grimes.”

Rick glanced at Daryl, who was rubbing a hand over his stomach. Looking distracted. Before he looked down at himself and where he’d made a mess. 

Daryl must’ve noticed because after a second he picked up a dirty bandanna from the floor and took the beer bottle back, soaking the fabric a bit and slapping it onto where Rick’s come was drying on his skin.

Rick blinked, slightly offended before Daryl just shrugged at him with a serious: “What?”

Rick scrubbed himself off and began chuckling, getting a strange look from Daryl who eventually lent across and sealed their lips together to smother Rick’s uncontrollable laughter...


	7. Chapter 7

The two week mark was approaching fast and Rick knew he’d have to go home soon. He’d dropped off the map for long enough and he’d only had so many sick leaves to spend up at work. He’d left a message on the answering machine so that Lori knew he wasn’t dead and explained that his phone had been damaged during a hike and that he was staying with a friend.

He didn’t give Lori Daryl’s number for multiple reasons.

Rick brought up the fact that he’d have to leave in a day or two with Daryl who just shrugged, not saying anything. Rick was a little hurt by that, but figured that maybe Daryl was trying to be nonchalant instead of having to actually ask him if he’d be coming back.

Rick was coming back.

At this point nothing short of a nuclear war between them would keep him away.

He didn’t say so, not yet, since he wasn’t sure Daryl was as interested in him or their arrangement as much as he was. As desperate for this impulsive, spontaneous-affair-to continue and he didn’t want to ruin it by making Daryl uncomfortable with the intensity of his attraction to the other. Daryl had said from the start that this wouldn’t end well and Rick wanted to prove him wrong. 

Confessing his addiction to the other might not help in that regard.

He was new to this too, after all. Being with someone who wasn’t Lori, someone he didn’t really know everything about. Daryl was still a stranger to Rick in many ways and there were things the other was definitely not sharing. But Rick could be patient. He was good at that. Being a father taught him that in spades.

The guilt returned, thinking of Carl. What was he going to do?

“… How old’s your boy?” Daryl asked one day. They were out in the woods, tracking together. Daryl trying to teach Rick how to follow a trail. Rick wasn’t a natural at it and Daryl was pretty patient but after Rick had lost it for the third time Daryl had taken over. Eyes to the ground, occasionally stopping to check broken twigs and disturbed earth. 

Rick glanced up at Daryl, looking away from the trail and feeling that knot of nerves he got whenever Daryl brought up his family. Daryl had dropped it for a few days after he’d asked about the divorce and Rick wasn’t sure how much to share.

“… 11.” Rick said. Daryl hummed in response, still keeping his head down.

“… Carl, right?” He asked and Rick nodded when Daryl glanced at him. “… You been married that long?”

“Yeah.” Rick said and Daryl sighed, so quietly Rick would’ve missed it if the woods weren’t so still. Bird song and the rustling of leaves in the wind the only noise disturbing the silence between them.

“… Long time.” Daryl muttered and Rick shrugged.

“Thought it’d be longer.” He said, swallowing sorely and ignoring the burn at the corners of his eyes. 

Daryl didn’t say anything and they walked together in silence until they crept up on a rabbit, weaving its way through the trees. Daryl let Rick try for it with his bow, helped him use the sight and touched his arm and shoulders until he was aligned just right.

Rick took the shot, grazed it. It ran but Daryl patted him on the back all the same.

“S’alright. Can follow the blood, if somethin’ don’t swoop for it.” He said and pressed his hunting knife into Rick’s hand, wrapping Rick’s fingers around it tight. “If we catch it are you gon’ be able to put it out of its misery?”

Rick looked up at Daryl who was watching him intensely and got the feeling that he was talking about something else entirely.

“I’ll try.” Rick said and Daryl finally nodded, gesturing for him to lead the way.

\---

It was day 12 of Rick staying with Daryl and he was starting to get restless. He missed being a part of the world, not used to being so detached like Daryl was and felt the guilt of him abandoning his family weighing on him like a stone. 

He’d already packed his bag, left his soap in Daryl’s bathroom conspicuously-if only to remind the other of him after he’d gone. In case he never returned.

The thought of leaving made Rick feel anxious. He didn’t want to go in case Daryl forgot about him or moved on the second he was out of sight. It was childish and stupid. Daryl was a grown man with his own problems and his own life.

But Rick desperately wanted to be a part of it. 

Said man was getting more and more agitated as the hours ticked toward Rick’s departure. Unable to finish his projects, whittling arrows and stocking firewood and keeping his eyes down cast. Rick broached keeping in contact with Daryl and realised that now that his phone was drowned he didn’t have a number to give him. 

He’d ask for Daryl’s when he left. He decided, not wanting to bring it up until the last moment since Daryl was in such a foul mood. Banging about in his shed out the back and swearing to himself. 

Rick only managed to pull the other man up when Daryl walked into the kitchen, clutching his thumb and swearing. He’d cut it open outside getting the fire pit ready to cook something and now he thundered around the kitchen, searching for a bandage.

“Fuckin’-come ON!” Daryl yelled, tore open an entire drawer. It clattered to the floor and Rick came out of the bathroom where he’d been shaving. Daryl was toeing through the items scattered all over the kitchen floor, unable to use his hands since he was holding the cut closed with his undamaged one.

“Everything ok?”

“No genius!” Daryl spat, “Cut my damn hand open and can’t find the goddamn bandages-“ He kicked the drawer and grabbed a dirty tea towel sitting next to the sink, wrapping it around his thumb roughly. Blood dripped onto the kitchen counter and Rick walked in beside him, dropping to his knees on the floor and putting it back into the draw. “Just leave it-leave it!”

Rick straightened up and Daryl looked breathless, angry, glaring at Rick so hard it was like he was the one who’d hurt him. Rick frowned at him and backed Daryl up against the counter, before pulling off a strip of strapping bandage he’d found on the floor amongst the mess. 

“Gimme your hand.” He said, reaching out to grab Daryl’s wrist. Daryl pulled his hand out of reach. Dropping his gaze back to the floor, red and stubborn. 

“I can do it myself,” He said, holding his hand out for the tape. Rick bit his lip.

“I’ve done first aid, let me do it.”

“I said I can do it myself, officer!” Daryl sneered and Rick glared at the other who was looking back at him meanly. Rick dropped the tape into Daryl’s hand and the hunter took it. Slipping out from between Rick and the counter and going to sit at the kitchen table. Pulling the towel on his thumb off and ripping a piece of bandage off with his teeth.

Rick watched the other struggling and shook his head.

“… Do you want me to leave?” He asked and Daryl pretended like he hadn’t heard him. “… Daryl?”

“Do what you want.” Daryl muttered. “I ain’t your wife.”

The words hit Rick like a blow to the face and he stood in the kitchen, watching Daryl’s back as he strapped his thumb, cursing. Rick stared hard out the window, where the afternoon light was just starting to go red at the edges and just nodded.

Enough was enough.

“Alright.” He said to the room at large since Daryl ignored him.

Rick brushed by Daryl, who kept his eyes down and into the living room where his bag was sitting at the foot of the couch. He picked up his jacket, pulling it on numbly and then grabbed his keys, stuffing them into his pocket.

He picked up his bag, pulled it onto his back and took a deep breath. He looked over at Daryl, where he could just see the corner of his arm in the kitchen. Then nodded once more, taking a deep breath and walking out the front door. 

Daryl had warned him. He thought as he walked down the steps of the porch. Hiking his heavy bag higher onto his shoulders. 

You knew it was going to end like this. He told himself, while another part of him told him to go back, turn around. Talk to Daryl. But he couldn’t, his pride wouldn’t allow it. Not after the way the other man had been treating him all day. Like he was a bad smell that needed to be gone. 

Rick liked Daryl. Liked the way he smiled and how he could say a lot without saying anything. He liked how patient he was and how soft his touches were. How intense he was when they’d fucked and how he listened when Rick talked to him. He liked how Daryl liked him and his shitty taste in music. 

But Daryl was behaving like a child and Rick had had enough of being made the bad guy in every damn relationship he was a part of. Unwelcome in his own marriage. Unwelcome in his own department.

It’s your fault. His mind told him. You’re the constant.

That’s not fair. His voice of reason said. But he choked up all the same. Tripping on a stone on as he made his way down the dirt road from Daryl’s house. Not letting himself look back. Just keeping his head down and walking. 

The walk back to his car was a long one and he only realised after he tried to turn on his torch that it was out of battery (and possibly didn’t work) after his fall into the river. He had no map and no clear idea of which fork in the road to take without being able to read the signs that would lead him back to the beginning of the track.

He could walk on to town and catch a cab. He thought. Cursing himself for being so stupid.

If he got lost it’d be the final straw.

He was walking for almost an hour, the sun falling behind the trees and the dark creeping in when he heard the sound of an old engine coming along behind him. Head lights lit him up from the back and he got off the road, holding up an arm to shield his eyes.

Daryl’s shitty pick up pulled up alongside Rick and he sighed. Shaking his head as the hunter killed the engine. Leaving the lights on and flicking on the indoor cabin light. 

Daryl was staring straight ahead with a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. He put his smoke out on the dash and turned to Rick. Looking guilty for the first time since Rick had known him. 

He lent over and pushed open the passenger door to Rick. Leaning back and keeping his hands locked on the wheel. Bandaged thumb looking worse for wear and bloody. 

“… Get in the truck.” He said and Rick shook his head. 

“No thank you.” Rick replied. Daryl looked over at him, frowning.

“… I’ll take you to your car like I said I would. Just get in.”

Rick stared down the road into the night, knowing he had at least another hours walk in before he came even close to getting to the parking lot where his car was waiting. If he managed to find it in the dark. 

But somehow that option felt safer than climbing back into that pick up with Daryl.

“… I’ll take my chances.” Rick said. 

Daryl stared at Rick, who hiked his bag more comfortably onto his shoulder and kept walking. Rick made it another 10 meters down the road before he heard the door of the pickup slam and feet pounding after him.

“Now hold on!” Daryl called after him and Rick turned. “You wanna get lost? Is that what you want?”

“No.” Rick said curtly.

“You even know where you’re goin?”

“So what if I don’t?” Rick shot back, dropping his bag from his shoulder and wiping some sweat from his brow while he glared at Daryl. “You gonna stop me?”

Daryl stared at him in the dark, lit up from the back by the pick up’s lights. Looking smaller outside of the truck. Deep shadows cast across his face making it hard for Rick to read his expression.

“… You’ve been treating me like shit, Daryl.” Rick finally said and Daryl’s shoulders tensed. “I know you don’t mean it. But I can’t have you bein’ that way to me.” Rick threw his hands up. “I don’t know how to handle you when you get like that.”

“I know.” Daryl said back in the darkness, face still unreadable.

“Is that how it’s gonna be?” Rick asked. “I come back and you treat me like that? Like it’s my fault all the time?”

“… I don’t know.” Daryl whispered back.

“… Well I can’t do it.” Rick said finally, heart aching. “I’ve gotta… With Shane-and Lori-Carl…” Rick shook his head, stooping down and picking up his bag again, wiping the back of his hand over his eyes. “I can’t handle any more… I don’t need any more heart ache… I need a friend.”

“… Will you come back?” Daryl asked. Rick looked up at him, shrugging on his back pack. Daryl was wringing his hands in the dark, scuffing his feet on the ground. “When you go-will you come back?”

Rick stared back at him, then back at the long road ahead. He thought about it, thought about what they’d had together. Weighed the pros and cons of it for a few seconds before he sighed.

“… Do you want me to?”

“… Yeah.” Daryl replied.

“Then I’ll come back.” Rick said.

Daryl stared at him then nodded. They shared a silence while Rick tried to work out what he was going to do.

“… I’m sorry.” Daryl finally said. “… I know how I am. I know…” Rick watched this strange man in the dark, scuffing his shoes on the ground, inching closer to Rick. “… But, just… Let me drive you to your car, man… Please.” Daryl looked up at Rick, within arm’s reach now. 

Rick looked at him, legs itching to walk. Hands itching to reach for Daryl in the dark and close the gap between them. Mind still not made up on what to do.

They stood bathed in the pick up’s headlights for hours suspended in seconds before Rick finally nodded.

“Alright.” He said. “Okay…”

\---

They drove for 10 minutes in silence before Daryl suddenly pulled over again. His hand tapping nervously on the wheel. Rick looked over at him and Daryl kept his eyes straight ahead. Chewing on a piece of gum and tapping his fingers on the wheel.

“… We got two more days right?” Daryl asked and Rick raised an eyebrow. “… Until you have to go?”

Rick thought about that, seeing it as the question it was. Daryl didn’t want him to leave like this. Didn’t want to drive him to his car tonight. Maybe that had been his plan all along. 

It was kind of sweet. In a Dixon way.

“… That’s right.” He said.

Daryl grunted and kept tapping his fingers on the wheel. 

“… I was just thinkin’, you know, seems a waste… Since I haven’t let you fuck me yet.” He said, completely casually and Rick’s eyebrows shot up. Going red.

“… You tryin’ to bribe me, Daryl Dixon?” Rick asked and Daryl glanced at him, looking embarrassed.

“… Is it workin?” The grizzled man asked, expression vulnerable.

Rick clicked his tongue and made a show of thinking about it though his libido had thoroughly made the choice for him the moment Daryl had breathed the words.

“… Two days.” Rick said. “Then I’m gone… For a little while.” He assured Daryl who had looked uncomfortable at the mention of him leaving again. Daryl brightened a little, realisation dawning that Rick was agreeing to stay. If only for one more night.

“… I can live with that.” Daryl said and put the pick up into reverse...


	8. Chapter 8

They were naked almost before they got through the front door. The tension that had been building between them all day exploding fantastically into an electric, raw energy that had Rick pushing Daryl onto the couch, fighting him for control. Grabbing his arms and grappling with him until he had them pinned over Daryl’s head, grinding his hips against him.

Daryl growled, cursing and biting Rick’s mouth as he tried to pull free. But Rick wouldn’t let him go, kept him pinned under his hips and fought him into submission until the hunter was panting, hips thrusting against him hungrily and biceps straining. Giving into Rick for the moment.

Rick relented after a while, once Daryl stopped fighting him. Let go of the other man’s wrists and took his face in his hands. Kissing him passionately, wetly, until Daryl had both of his arms wrapped around Rick’s waist, pulling him closer.

I’ll miss you. Rick said with his body, with his eyes when they drew apart for a moment. And I don’t know how long it’ll be until we’re together again.

Daryl brushed a thumb over Rick’s lower lip (the one that wasn’t crudely bandaged) and swallowed roughly. Nodding a little, like he’d understood.

They stayed on the couch like that, just kissing, Daryl stroking his hands up Rick’s back, over the curve of his ass and into his hair. Groping at Rick like he wanted to map him out forever. Rick kissed him back tenderly, softer than he had before. Rubbed his fingers over Daryl’s collar bone and kissed the man’s sensitive ears, making him blush. 

After Rick had Daryl languid and flushed to the roots of his hair the hunter put a hand in the middle of his chest. Pushing him off gently and huffing out a sigh. 

“… Why’s this feel like a goodbye fuck, Grimes?” He asked and Rick stared down at him, body propped up on his hands as he knelt over Daryl who looked vulnerable beneath him. Hair a mess and shirt hitched up under his arm pits.

“… I don’t know how long it’ll be-“ Rick said, expression sad, “-with Lori-the separation… Where I’m gonna live…” Rick shook his head. Unable to put the thoughts out of his mind. Even with Daryl in between his legs. “Could be a month… Could be more.”

Daryl nodded under him. Reaching up and squeezing his neck. 

“I get it.” He said. “Don’t worry… I ain’t exactly got a lot goin’ on, in case you didn’t notice…” Rick snorted and Daryl batted at him lightly. “Shut it.”

“You’ll wait for me though?” Rick asked and Daryl stared up at him, worrying his lip between his teeth, shuffling a little nervously under Rick before he sighed.

“… Yeah… I’ll wait.” He said.

Rick smiled, bright enough that it crinkled the corners of his eyes, made the weight in his heart a little lighter. He leant forward and kissed Daryl again, so sweetly that Daryl groaned, exasperated.

“Grimes you keep kissin’ me like a damn teenage girl and I’m gonna take back my offer.” He growled and Rick laughed, ripping into the other and biting him roughly on the neck.

\---

Daryl was different on the bottom. This was a phenomenal discovery on Rick’s behalf and one he exploited to the best of his ability. He was currently three fingers into Daryl who was writhing on his face, shoulders shaking, while Rick kissed the back of his neck. 

“Fuck-come on Grimes you damn fuckin’ tease!” Daryl spat, hitched his hips more, trying to increase the pressure inside of him. Grinding into the bed. Rick grinned against his skin and bit Daryl’s ear lobe, shushing him. “Don’t you fuckin’ hush me-you fuck-“

“So impatient…” Rick murmured, scissoring his fingers inside Daryl whose whole spine arched. Toes digging into the mattress, chest expanding rapidly with short, affected breaths. Rick was fast suspecting that Daryl may have been holding out on him so far as favourite positions went… 

“Hurry up!” Daryl spat, punctuating with a roll of his hips, pushing Rick further into him. “Been waitin’ two damn weeks for this! Fuckin’ get on with it!”

Rick chuckled and poured more lube over his fingers before gently inching a fourth into Daryl who sighed shortly. Grinding back against Rick’s digits and squeezing him. The feeling was surreal and Rick was definitely taking it slower than he would have with a woman. Since he was still new to this and didn’t want to hurt Daryl. No matter how snappy he was.

“Come on,” Daryl panted, grabbed Rick’s wrist, squeezing tightly, “That’s enough, come on.”

“You sure?” Rick asked and Daryl nodded rapidly.

“I’m gonna fuckin’ come if you don’t fuck me now.” Daryl whispered and Rick nodded, fair enough. 

“Alright… How you wanna do this?”

Daryl rolled his shoulders and got up, crawling over to the other man. He grabbed Rick by his neck and pulled him into a dirty kiss, grabbing Rick’s cock and pumping him slowly, making Rick moan into the other man’s mouth. Any control he might have had vanishing in an instant in the face of Daryl’s raw sexual thirst.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but Daryl kept touching him, rubbing him as he stared into his eyes.

“… I wanna ride you.” Daryl whispered and Rick just nodded, because sure, that sounded great, so would have jumping off a cliff if Daryl had asked with his good thumb rolling over the head of Rick’s cock.

“Sounds good.” 

Daryl smirked at him and pushed Rick back onto the mattress. He picked up a condom from the bedside table (they’d made a decent dent in the pack so far) and tore it open. He pumped Rick some more while Rick rubbed his hand over Daryl’s hip. Kneaded into his ass. Then rolled the condom expertly down onto Rick’s cock.

“… You done this much before?” Rick asked and Daryl looked up at him, then smirked for a second before draping a leg over Rick’s hips and kneeling over him. Reaching back and under himself, using his own fingers to work himself open some more while Rick watched, spell bound.

“Not for a while…” Daryl admitted. Rick snorted and Daryl looked up, frowning a little. “… What you laughin’ at Grimes?”

“I can tell.” Rick said, smirking at him and Daryl just glared some more before he pressed the head of Rick’s cock to his hole and slowly sat down.

Rick arched, couldn’t help it, when Daryl bore down on him. He was so tight it was almost too much and he could hear Daryl’s little pants of discomfort as he got used to it. Leveraging himself up a little more and then back down, slowly, until Rick was completely inside the other. Daryl’s body twitching and squeezing around him snugly.

“Shit.” Rick breathed and Daryl just nodded, unable to speak, looking down at where they were connected. Rick tore his gaze away from where Daryl was impaled on him and up into the other man’s face. The sight was pornographic. Brow furrowed in concentration and lip stuck out like he was pouting. Chest flushed and shoulders tensed as Daryl rolled back onto him experimentally. Stuttering half way through the motion as he tried to get the right angle.

Rick stared at him, grabbed onto Daryl’s ass and lightly stroked a finger over where they were joined. Daryl’s little shudder at the touch making him lick his lips.

Rick took this all in in seconds, memorising it, before Daryl looked down at him, eyes glazed over and lip pinched between his teeth, like he waiting for something.

“… Go on.” Rick said and Daryl flushed, rolling his hips again. Rick held onto his waist and thrust upward to meet him. Daryl’s mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’ as Rick set their rhythm, pushing up into Daryl who placed both his hands back on Rick’s thighs, chest stuck out and snatching in air like there wasn’t enough of it.

Daryl didn’t speak much like this and Rick took advantage, pushed up into the other with as much force as he could trying to get a curse, a dirty word, anything. But Daryl just fell forward, hands shaking on Rick’s shoulders until Rick finally grunted and pulled out of Daryl, pulled him back until Rick was pressed against the head board and Daryl was in his lap, forced to face him while Rick fucked in and out of him. 

“Quiet huh? Where’s that smart mouth?” Rick asked breathlessly.

“F-Fuck you.” Daryl stuttered and Rick chuckled. 

“You enjoyin’ this too much? Nothin’ to add?” Rick panted and Daryl shook his head. “You never been so quiet before… Maybe we always do it this way? Would you like that?”

Daryl bounced on top of him, sucking in a hitched breath and nodded, only a little, barely enough to notice.

Rick shook his head, breathing out a dry laugh as he thrust up into Daryl over and over again, Daryl’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, panting into his ear. 

“You wait ‘till the last day to tell me what you really want.” Rick murmured, thrust into the other harder, roughly, making Daryl gasp a little. “… Stubborn ass.”

“Didn’t think-didn’t think you’d-“ Daryl couldn’t get the words out when Rick grabbed his hips, keeping him steady while he pounded into him. Daryl moaned, grabbed the head board behind Rick and panted hotly. “Didn’t think you’d like it-not the same as-“

“Be quiet.” Rick said, licked into the shell of Daryl’s ear and then pulled out of him, pushing the other man back onto the bed and grabbing the back of his knee. Forcing it backward as he took Daryl again from the side.

Daryl lost it. Couldn’t decide where to put his hands, scrabbled for purchase in the sheets. Tried to grab onto Rick’s hips, his arms, eventually settled for the foot of the bed frame. Trying to hold in his moans as Rick took him, viciously, thrusting into him over and over. Trying to find the angle that made Daryl’s mouth open and wet ‘Ohs!’ leap from him, unbidden. 

Once Rick had it, pushing Daryl into the mattress just so-holding him steady by his hips, he kept at it. Hitting the same spot over and over again, Daryl’s mouth falling open while he watched Rick. Half lidded eyes jumping from where their hips slapped together to Rick’s eyes where he was watching Daryl. 

Daryl sobbed, arms straining, shuddering, over his head where he held himself steady for Rick and he closed his eyes. 

“Fuck Rick-I’m gonna-I’m gonna-“ He repeated, over and over, Rick increased his pace, working the same angle, until Daryl arched, free leg kicking out. Letting out a loud ‘ahh!’ as he rolled his hips passionately back against Rick’s. The only time Rick had ever heard Daryl make a sound when he came.

The words fell from Daryl as Rick kept thrusting into him, bending over the other man and breathing in the scent of him, licking the sweat from his shoulder and biting him there.

“Fuck come on darlin’, come on,” Daryl gasped, voice husky in his after glow, the first time he’d ever used a pet word for Rick. Rick moaned and increased his pace, euphoria creeping up on him as he got so close. “Come on, fuck me, come in me, it’s alright, I want it, I want you to-“

Daryl had both his arms wrapped around Rick when he came, foreheads touching as Rick pressed the other hard into the mattress, legs flexing out behind him, gasping into the other. Daryl stroked him through it, rubbing his hands up through Rick’s hair, over his jaw. Kissing him wetly as his hips pumped through the last of his orgasm. 

It was the best orgasm Rick had had so far and that was saying something.

The next few minutes were a bit of a blur to Rick. He pulled out of Daryl who wouldn’t stop kissing him, barely detangled from Rick long enough for him to bin the condom and lay back down. Rick must’ve fallen asleep somewhere between Daryl’s lips and his arms because when he woke again there was light coming through Daryl’s window. 

Daryl was still asleep. An unusual occurrence. Since Daryl always woke up before Rick.

Rick smiled, feeling a little cocky at the change of pace. He got onto his hands and knees and leant over Daryl, kissing his neck.

Daryl flinched awake, throwing his hands up in front of his face and sucking in a scared breath before he recognised Rick. The movement was a bit startling and Rick hesitated, suddenly feeling bad for the other but Daryl relaxed. Turning onto his back more and smiling, groggily up at Rick.

“… Hey.” Rick said and Daryl nodded at him rubbing his eyes and licking his lips. 

“… You got any water left?” Daryl asked and Rick glanced over at the bed side table. Sure enough there was a glass there, half full, which Daryl must have organised the night before while Rick fell asleep on him. 

Rick hoped he hadn’t missed anything as he nodded and grabbed it for Daryl, holding it out to him. 

Daryl drank half of it, then offered it to Rick who drained the rest and put it back on the table out of the way. He went back to Daryl, who was about to get up. Rick grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back down and Daryl began to grouse out a response when Rick kissed him, sweetly, holding him onto the bed and gently licking his way into the other man’s mouth.

Daryl was stiff at first, clearly not a morning person at all, before he slowly relaxed into the assault. Sighing through his nose and letting Rick kiss him, responding tiredly and scratching blunt finger nails over Rick’s back.

After almost a minute of this Daryl smacked Rick’s naked ass to get him to stop.

“Gotta piss, man.” Daryl said when Rick frowned balefully at him slipping out of his embrace. “Damn cuddly fucker…”

“Hurry back, darlin’” Rick said and managed to pinch the other man’s butt before he could jump out of reach. Emphasis on the ‘darlin’. Daryl snorted, flipping him the bird and picking up a shirt and pulling it on over his scarred back.

“You ain’t the boss of me, Grimes.” Daryl mumbled, shooting Rick a fond glance before he left the room.

Rick smiled, rolling back onto his back and sighing contently. Feeling like the shit storm of his life might have actually, finally, calmed for a moment.

That was of course the cue for everything to go terribly wrong. As the sound of a motor bike in the distance had Daryl flying back into the room, white faced and spitting two words.

"My brother-!"...


	9. Chapter 9

“It’s Merle-“ Daryl gasped, picking up Rick’s clothes from the floor in a panic and throwing them at him. Rick quickly pulling them on as the loud sound of a motor bike pulling up out the front finally cut out. “Fuckin’ didn’t think he’d be back ‘till next weekend-just-just get into the bathroom-I’ll get the truck ready-we gotta go-“

“Daryl-“ Rick said but Daryl was already throwing the lube into his bedside draw, condoms with it and half into his jeans and flying out of the room as a loud voice outside called out his name.

“Yeah, yeah I’m comin’!” Daryl yelled back, leaving Rick alone in his room. Rick quickly climbed out of Daryl’s bed and went into the bathroom, turning on the tap and washing himself as best he could. Trying to scrub off the smell of sex and sweat. 

Out the front Daryl trotted down the porch and up to where Merle was climbing off his bike, grinning at him.

“Well good morning, Darlina,” Merle cried out. “I wake you from your beauty sleep?”

“Hell no.” Daryl said, “Was tryin’ to take a shower when I heard you mouthin’ off.”

Merle crowed with laughter and wrapped his brother in a bone crushing hug. He released him quickly, stepping back from him with a pinched expression.

“Boy you smell like a damn brothel, no wonder you was showerin’!” Merle barked and Daryl began to sweat more, though he didn’t show it. “You got someone over? There a naked girl runnin’ out the back as we speak?” 

“No.” Daryl said. “Got a friend over, he was just leavin’.”

“… Friend?” Merle asked. Immediately suspicious. “… Keith?”

“Naw.” Daryl said, “You don’t know him.”

“… How come?” Merle asked.

“What, you jealous?” Daryl sniped. Merle glared at him, batting at Daryl’s shoulder.

“Fuck you, little brother! I ought to know who’s in my damn house when I’m not here! Could be a goddamn thief!”

“He ain’t stole nothin’,” Daryl shot back, “I been watchin’ him.”

“Yeah well you better hope so, for both your sakes.” Merle grunted, brushing past Daryl and walking up the porch. Daryl just behind him, praying that Rick had gotten his shit together. 

“Where you at, stranger?” Merle called out and Daryl held his breath.

Rick appeared, tucking his shirt into his jeans and wiping his hands like he’d just finished using the bathroom. Daryl closed his eyes and prayed that Merle wouldn’t read into that.

Merle seemed to be distracted by the pure sight of Rick though, eyeing him up and down distrustfully. 

Rick stepped forward, holding out his hand to Merle.

“’S'cuse me, was usin’ the bathroom. I’m Rick Grimes.” Rick said and Daryl counted to five, looking between Merle and Rick’s hand. Wondering if his brother would take it or not. 

Merle stared at Rick, then glanced at Daryl before taking his offered hand and shaking it firmly.

“Grimes, you said?” Merle asked and Rick nodded.

“That’s right.”

“I’m Merle.” Merle replied and Rick nodded. “Where you from, Grimes?”

“Just outside Atlanta.” Rick replied and Daryl felt like he was watching a deer just about to get cleared out by a truck. Unable to stop it and unable to look away.

“Huh…” Merle grunted, staring at Rick who held his gaze confidently, not shying away. “What you doin’ all the way out here, Grimes?”

“Was hiking,” Rick said, “Got lost. Daryl found me. Let me use his phone…”

Merle glanced over at Daryl while Rick was talking and Daryl just nodded minutely, gaze dropping to the floor. 

“… How long you been here, Grimes?” Merle asked, looking around like he was checking to make sure everything was where it should be. Rick ignored that and quickly glanced at Daryl, who shook his head over Merle’s shoulder. 

“A night.” Rick said and Merle turned back to him, like he could hear the lie in Rick’s voice. “Daryl let me crash on the couch. Since I lost my keys… Found ‘em this mornin’.”

“A night? Like a sleep over?” Merle asked, sneering at Daryl and laughing without any mirth to it. “You two been braidin’ each other’s hair?”

“Least we got hair,” Daryl jabbed quickly as Rick went red, making Merle turn on him.

“I wasn’t talkin’ to you Darlina!” Merle scowled.

“Bite me!” Daryl snapped and Merle shook his head at Daryl, glare furious.

“Don’t you test me, little brother. I’ve been dry for 4 days and I ain’t got the fuckin’ patience.” Merle turned back to Rick, looking him up and down again before shrugging. “Speakin’ of, you got any beer left?”

“Some in the fridge,” Daryl said, “Me and Rick’re leavin’,”

“What, so soon?” Merle asked as Daryl gestured for Rick to get his shit and get to the truck. “But I just got back! How ‘bout you two sit down and have a drink with me? Huh? Me and Rick can get to know each other a bit better, how’s that sound?”

Rick looked between Merle’s dangerous smile and Daryl’s blank face. Daryl shook his head. Rick threw up his hands, shaking his head apologetically.

“I really ought to get back-“  
“To your wife, right?” Merle asked from where he’d crossed to the fridge, pulling out a beer and taking a swig. Rick stared at the man, going a little pale, “You got a ring on… Nice one. So why you out here by yourself?”

“Fuck off Merle.” Daryl said warningly and Rick dropped his gaze, uncomfortably. 

“Just a question.” Merle said, watching Rick closely. 

“… You’re right.” Rick said and Merle tilted his head, staring at Rick hard. “She’ll be missin’ me, honestly wouldn’t have stayed if I hadn’t had too much to drink.”

Daryl looked between Merle and Rick, watched Merle crunching the numbers in his head, sizing Rick up and looking right through him in that uncanny way he had that made Merle so damn fuckin’ dangerous.

“… You drink a lot?” Merle asked.

“More than I should.” Rick said. “Which is why I’m here and not where I should be…”

Daryl looked down at the floor, hoping the cover up would be enough for Merle. Could tell Rick was trying to play an angle, get Merle thinking about his own problems or the beer Rick might have drank. Get him off their trail a bit.

“… You better replace it then, Grimes.” Merle finally said. “Dixons don’t share well.”

Rick smirked, nodding.

“I’ll bring you some more, next visit. Promise.” Rick replied and Merle nodded, looking at him over the neck of his bottle.

“You do that.” Merle replied.

Rick nodded, then took his leave, picking up his bag and walking down the front porch. Daryl nodded at Merle, picked up his car keys and went after Rick. 

Merle watching them closely until they were completely out of sight.

\---

Daryl and Rick drove in silence until Daryl’s house was long out of view. Rick sighed after a while, scrubbing hand over his mouth while Daryl just kept glancing up into his rear view mirror, like he was expecting Merle to appear on his motor bike at any second.

“… So that went well.” Rick said and Daryl grunted at Rick, glancing between the mirror and the road. “Your brother always that friendly?”

“No.” Daryl replied. “… Thought he was gonna draw on you.”

“… He was carrying?” Rick asked, hadn’t even looked, too focused on not breaking the other man’s cold gaze where he’d stared at Rick, looking right into him. 

“Likely.” Daryl said, he started to relax after a few minutes, keeping his eyes ahead and off the mirror. 

Rick had his bag in his lap and kept looking over at Daryl. After a while, he smirked, chuckling. Daryl glanced at him, frowning.

“What?” 

“Your brother doesn’t know?” Rick asked and Daryl glared at Rick, “Sorry, it’s just… Well… You seem to know what you’re doin’…”

“You callin’ me easy, Grimes?” Daryl asked threateningly and Rick shook his head. 

“Never said that… Just… With a brother like that… How have you…?”

“… Like I said,” Daryl replied, a little pink and looking straight ahead, “I don’t got a lot goin’ on.”

“… You take what you can get?” Rick asked, only half joking. 

Daryl glared at him. “I will drop you off right here, Grimes.” 

“Sorry, sorry.” Rick said and tried to force himself to stop smiling. Mostly just smiling since they had managed to get out of there without Merle trying to shoot him. “… So he has no idea?...”

“Naw.” Daryl replied, “Well… He caught me with a guy once but… Said it didn’t count ‘cause I was givin’ it to him-not the other way round.” Daryl went pink at the memory, scratching the back of his neck. “That was almost 10 years ago… I thought he might’a forgot…”

Rick smirked at Daryl and reached across, squeezing his thigh. Daryl shot him a surprised glare and Rick just grinned at him. 

“… You got a death wish?” Daryl asked and Rick kept smiling.

“Think we got somethin’ to finish, before you drop me off…” Rick said and Daryl went red when Rick’s hand crept higher up his thigh, gripping the steering wheel tight enough to make the leather of it crumple.

\---

Rick sucked Daryl off for the first time in the front seat of his pickup truck, made a mess of it, angle all wrong, almost strained his neck doing it. But Daryl loved it and by the time he came up for air, wiping cum off the corner of his mouth and pressed his lips to Daryl he’d almost forgotten to be sad about having to leave. 

To go back to the real world. 

He drew back and Daryl was sunk into the ratty cushion of the front seat, eyes half closed and just rubbing his thumb over Rick’s jaw.

“… I’m gonna miss you, Grimes.” He murmured and Rick swallowed, painfully, at the small admission.

“Yeah, me too.” Rick confessed.

Daryl nodded and they kissed again. 

But they could only be gone for so long before Merle became suspicious and so Rick got out of Daryl’s truck, picked up his bag and brushed the bank up of leaves and twigs from his window screen. While Daryl lent against the door of his pick up, smoking.

Rick threw his back pack, still looking water logged from its trip into the river, into the back seat and straightened up, sighing. 

Daryl watched him, exhaling deeply and then crossed over to Rick who turned, staring, mournfully at the other.

“I’ll see you round.” Daryl said and kissed him with his smoky mouth, out in the daylight of the car park, stubble biting at Rick’s smooth skin. 

Rick kissed him back, rubbing the back of the other man’s neck before they finally parted, staring into Daryl’s eyes before the hunter dropped his gaze. Put his cigarette back between his lips and walked away.

Rick watched Daryl go, standing there by his car as Daryl drove off without looking back. The bitter taste of smoke and the ghost of the other man’s fingers on his skin the only things that remained to remind Rick that it hadn’t all been some kind of fevered dream...


	10. Chapter 10

When Rick finally got home it was Carl that greeted him first. Not Lori, like he’d dreaded. He ran up to him, tears already pouring down his cheeks and over his chin and threw his tiny arms around Rick’s neck, sobbing.

Rick’s heart broke and he felt so selfish, with his little boy shaking against him and begging him not to leave again that he almost completely forgot about Daryl for a few days in favor of reminding his son how much he loved him and promising not to abandon him, no matter what.

Lori didn’t know what to do when she saw him, holding herself aloft in the kitchen like she’d fall just meeting his eye. She looked so tired and silent tears dripped down her face as she stared at Rick, biting her lip and sucking in a breath like it was agony.

“I’m sorry.” Was the first thing she said to him and Rick couldn’t look at her, not just yet, but nodded all the same. Listening to Carl eating cereal in the other room.

“So am I.” He said and Lori nodded, sucking in painful short breaths. 

Shane came around later that same night. Rick opened the door and there he was, just standing there, hat in his hand, looking the picture of remorse.

Two weeks previous Rick would’ve punched him where he stood, but now he just felt hurt, sore, like looking at Shane was pressing a thumb into an open wound.

Shane didn’t cry like Lori did but he couldn’t meet Rick’s eye.

“I’m glad you’re back.” Shane said and Rick couldn’t help the bitter part of him that whispered, ‘Doubt it.’. “We were worried about you.”

“I’m fine.” Rick heard himself say and Shane nodded, looking down at his feet.

“… You coming into the station on Monday?” Shane asked and Rick nodded. Lori walked up behind him, looking between Rick and Shane with a hand covering her mouth. 

Shane couldn’t see her, but Rick could tell he knew she was there. Wanted to see her. He barred the door between them more firmly. 

Not today.

“… I guess I’ll see you then.” Shane said and Rick just nodded again. Shane put on his hat, turned on his tail and walked away.

Rick closed the door without slamming it and had to stand there for a while, calming his breathing down, Lori had the decency to leave him alone after that and even helped him set up a place to sleep on the couch.

\---

The separation wasn’t easy. 

Lori didn’t want it to happen. She felt guilty, sure, but she claimed to love Rick more. Said it had been a mistake. Said they should stay together for Carl’s sake. Anything to make Rick stay. But he couldn’t stand to touch her, felt angry every time she brought it up. Kept running his fingers over his wedding ring and looking around the house like Shane’d come round a corner at any second. 

The suspicion wore on him and he felt like he could smell him. On the couch, in the bed, the shower.

He couldn’t stand it.

Explaining it to Carl was the hardest. He didn’t want it to happen. Didn’t understand why Rick had to leave, move to an apartment in town for a while. Lori was going to take him until they worked out whether they should get a divorce. Until Rick got settled.

Work was hard too. Shane had had the decency to request a transfer. Worked with a different partner within the same department. So Rick didn’t see him too much. But he did see him and every time he did he felt a piece of him flare up. Like Shane was taunting him by merely existing.

Shane was good about it, kept his eyes down and didn’t challenge Rick. 

It was almost a month before the whirlwind of Rick’s life finally began to settle enough that he thought on Daryl again. Usually while he was alone in his apartment, television droning on in front of his eyes while he drank a beer (the same kind Daryl liked).

The first time the thought occurred to him he reached for his phone but then swore out loud when he realised in the commotion of their exit he hadn’t remembered to get Daryl’s phone number.

He tried looking up Daryl’s house on google Earth, thought maybe he could just drive out there and visit but struggled to remember the way back. He went into the yellow pages but neither Daryl nor Merle Dixon were listed.

He gave in, distraught and angry with himself when he realised he had no way of contacting Daryl. Would have to just-pack up his shit into a car and drive out to his town, see if he could beg one of the locals to give him a number or address.

Rick sighed, crumpled his hands over his eyes and gave up. Wishing, desperately, to hear the other’s voice and spend some time in the silence of those woods, pressed up against his side.

\---

It was a week after that when Rick was sitting in his office. Exhausted after a long day and going through a mountain of paper work that one of the guys, Gary, lent in to the door of his office and informed him he had a call waiting on line 2.

“Guy named Dickson, lookin’ for you.” Gary said and Rick’s eyes had lit up, going wide. 

He dropped what he was doing and picked up the phone, opening the line.

There was silence except for the bad, scratchy quality of the other line when Rick cleared his throat.

“Officer Grimes speaking.” He said.

He heard a familiar, gravelly, chuckle on the end of the line.

“’Bout time…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all for now!  
> I was considering continuing this fic but for now I thought I'd leave it up to your imagination!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	11. Right Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I've gotten a lot of wonderful nice comments on this fic and I've had this WIP sitting in my computer for months so I thought it'd be cool to share it with you guys!  
> I haven't written in ages, but I think I would like to write a conclusion to this in time! (I'm not sure when that will be, I'm so saddened by the season's cliff hanger that I have been steering clear of the fandom for months! I can't handle suspense!)
> 
> All the same-Thank you for all your kudos and comments!

Life didn’t automatically get better. Daryl didn’t breeze into Rick’s apartment, magically fix his separation and solve all of his problems. Hell it was almost 2 months before Rick even got to see Daryl again since he’d left him in that car park. 2 months with the occasional quick phone call from Daryl (since Merle was hanging around and Daryl didn’t want Rick talking to him). Dark conversations in even darker rooms. Locked doors between Rick and the shit show of his life and miles between him and the man he was quietly smitten by.

When Rick finally got to see Daryl again it was brief. Merle was also present, a fixed feature on the couch glaring at Rick, and his animosity toward Rick hadn’t died down at all. If anything Rick’s presence stoked the flames of his suspicion and even two cartons of beer couldn’t douse the flame.

Rick and Daryl spent most of their day together in the woods. Under the guise of hunting-which they did do since Daryl would have to come back with something or be called a liar-but Rick had never had sex next to a line of dead squirrels before that day. 

It wasn’t their best, Daryl was nervous, tense. Looking over his shoulder like his brother could appear any time any place. Rick tried to distract him (man did he try) but it was impossible for Daryl to relax completely. 

They were panting together in the wake of afterglow. Rick had leaves where he had never expected to have leaves and Daryl was dressing himself quickly, looking around like Merle Dixon was about to leap out from behind a bush with a semi-automatic and a flame thrower any second.

Rick sighed and brushed a hand over Daryl’s jaw, turning him to look him in the eye. Daryl glanced at him, read the exasperated look on Rick’s face and looked away again.

“… Sorry. It’s just-“

“I know.” Rick said. 

Daryl sighed and shook off his nerves before he leant forward, kissing Rick hungrily, like he hadn’t had his fill of him. He broke off when he heard a sound behind them though, turning on the spot, pulling his hunting knife from his belt. 

Rick’s eyes went wide while Daryl crouched over him, both hands up in front of his face like he was waiting for the blows to land.

No one appeared.

Rick let his head drop back to the earth below him and closed his eyes.

“… We can’t do this.” Rick said and Daryl was breathing heavily, face flushed, when he turned back to Rick. Pupils blown up. He frowned at Rick, but the heat there quickly dimmed when Rick rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. “I want to be here, but… This is too much.”

“… What’re we gonna do then?” Daryl asked.

Rick sighed. Let his hand drop beside him with a thud.

“… You could come to mine-“ Rick said.

“No.” Daryl said and Rick frowned at the other, lip stubbornly set in a thin line. 

“… The drive isn’t that far, Daryl.” Rick said. They’d argued about this once before-over the phone. Daryl didn’t want to come to his place. Rick didn’t know why. It was frustrating.

“Drive ain’t the problem.” Daryl said stubbornly and Rick sat up while Daryl stood. Picking up his stuff and brushing himself off. Rick’s ass and back hurt from getting fucked on the ground. He was too old for this.

“Then what?” Rick asked. “What’re we gonna do?”

Daryl was silent while he organised his crossbow, brushing a thumb over his nose and looking just as tense as he had earlier. Framed by the towering trees all around him with sunlight dappling him in the late afternoon light.

Rick watched him then shook his head when he got no response for his trouble. He got up, grunting with the effort. Something cracking on the way up.

“… Daryl we can’t meet up like this. We’re not teenagers.”

“I know that.” Daryl snapped and Rick bit his lip. Frowning. Tired. Tired from his job and the divorce papers and Carl’s nightmares. 

“Well then we need a solution-and since I don’t see you kickin’ your brother out any time soon it would seem we are shit out of options.” He stated. 

Daryl didn’t look at him, just stared at the ground and readjusted his bow on his back.

“… We could end it-” Daryl began.

“Shut up.” Rick cut in and brushed past the other, ignoring Daryl when he called after him and when the hunter finally jogged up to walk beside him. Eyes still downcast and silent in the face of Rick’s angry response.

When Daryl brushed their fingers together though Rick didn’t have the heart to stop him tangling their hands together.

\---

“So what’s your deal, Grimes?” Merle asked. He was watching Rick closely over the top of his cards, drinking a glass of something that smelt strongly of whiskey and fixing him with that same intense Dixon stare Daryl sometimes aimed at him. “You’re a family man, right? Why you comin’ up here every other weekend?”

Rick glanced up at Merle, then back down to his cards. He was getting used to Merle. As much as you could get used to a man who could probably shoot him in the face without feeling bad about it. Daryl didn’t want Rick talking to Merle at all. But since Merle didn’t seem to be going anywhere and Daryl wouldn’t visit Rick he figured it was better to get to know him a little. Try and calm the waters.

Better the devil you know.

Daryl glanced up at Rick but stayed quiet, smoking while he looked over his cards. It was the second time Rick had visited since that time in the woods a few weeks previous and the relationship between them was strained with the pressure from Merle’s endless suspicion and the back and forth between Rick and Lori trying to finalise their divorce... 

All that said Daryl was still the sweetest thing Rick had and one of the only reasons he didn’t sometimes just slip under the water of his bath tub and not come back out. 

“I like it up here.” Rick said simply and Merle crowed with laughter, throwing back some more of his drink.

“Oh yeah, bet it really beats a nice house in whatever fairy tale neighbourhood you crawled out of.”

“Merle.” Daryl growled and Merle threw up his hands.

“What? It’s a compliment. I’m just sayin’, the man looks like he comes from a nice place. Ain’t that right, Grimes?”

Rick huffed out a forced chuckle and shrugged.

“Can’t complain.” He said and put down his cards. Merle swore when Rick beat him again, sitting back and crossing his arms. Daryl smiled at Rick for a second, then dropped his own cards. Folding.

“Bet you can’t…” Merle said. Pulled out a joint (an honest to god joint) and stuck it in his mouth. “Gimme that lighter little brother.”

Daryl’s eyes went a little wide and he glanced at Rick who felt a bit of a clash of interest between the older Dixon’s life style choices and his police rule book. But Merle didn’t know Rick was a police officer-and they’d kept it that way on purpose. Since Daryl thought Merle might try and knife him over it or accuse Rick of exploiting Daryl somehow if he knew.

Daryl went a bit red but handed his brother the lighter, who took it with a grunt in place of a thank you and lit up. He took a long drag then kept staring at Rick, eyes dropping to where Rick was shuffling the cards again. Preparing to deal.

“See, the thing I find strange is how you say you got this wife, right? Laura?” 

“Lori.” Rick said and Daryl stared hard at the table. Grinding his fingers into it in Rick’s peripherals, even mentions of Rick being married or with anyone else making Daryl uncomfortable-jealous-they’d talked about it but it was still there. 

“Right.” Merle said, focusing on his joint and missing the strange moment between the other two. “But see, the last two times you been up here I noticed you ain’t wearin’ that fancy ring of yours…”

Rick paused, staring up at Merle who blew out a thick cloud of smoke from his lips, then turned his gaze on him. Rick continued shuffling, focusing on that, while he tried to quickly come up with a response that didn’t give anything incriminating away like: I take it off when I make love to your brother in the woods.

“We been, uh…” Rick bit his lip. Two Dixons now watching him with equal intensity. “… Taking a break.”

“… That so?” Merle asked.

“Don’t.” Daryl said and Merle turned his frown on Daryl, exhaling sharply and rounding on him.

“Why’re you bein’ on my ass like this, brother?”

“’Cause you’re being an asshole.” Daryl snapped.

“I’m just askin’ some questions!” Merle barked. “Rick don’t mind! Do ya?” Merle turned back to Rick who swallowed and shook his head. “See? He don’t need your damn coddlin’! Take a leaf out of ya own damn book and quit meddlin’!”

Daryl glared hard at Merle, then at Rick before shaking his head, putting his smoke out and getting up. “Takin’ a piss.”

“Yeah well do us all a favour-go pick that stick out of your ass while you’re in there.” Merle grumbled.

“Fuck off,” Daryl bit out on the way past and Merle grabbed Daryl, reflexes so quick Rick barely saw Merle stand, throwing Daryl against the wall. 

Daryl was ready for it though, smashed his palm into Merle’s jaw, knocking the joint out of his mouth and kicking him in the gut. Merle was winded for all of half a second before he clocked Daryl across the jaw, so loud Rick reached for where he usually kept his gun on his belt while on the job. Came up with nothing.

“Stop!” Rick yelled when Daryl grabbed a fist full of Merle’s collar, the older brother doing the same. The pair butting heads, spitting and gasping, like feral animals. 

Rick watched, skin cold, as the pair grappled with each other but took no more swings. Just pushing each other back and forth for a few seconds, glaring at one another. 

After a few hair raising seconds Merle finally laughed, voice hoarse and he let go of Daryl’s collar, batting his face gently and mussing up his hair.

“Well hallelujah. My brother’s still got a little fight in him after all. And here I was thinkin’ Grimes had cut the balls right off of ya…” Merle glanced at Rick over his shoulder as an after thought. “No offense.”

Rick shook his head, sweating. While Daryl just let go of Merle, stepping back until he was pressed into the wall again and breathing deeply. Merle picked up his joint and put it back in his mouth, looking between Daryl and Rick before he shrugged, picking up his glass and making his way out onto the porch.

“You two can paint each other’s nails or whatever. I’m headin’ out for a bit.” Merle threw back the rest of his whiskey then shuffled out of the room. 

Neither Rick nor Daryl moved until the sound of Merle’s motor bike had faded long into the distance.

\---

“… You fight like that a lot?”

Daryl was smoking out on the porch. Sporting a sore mark where Merle had hit him. He was staring straight ahead and couldn’t meet Rick’s eye. 

“More now.” Daryl said. “… I think you make him nervous.”

“I figured.” Rick said and Daryl just kept staring straight ahead, foot bouncing against the deck of the porch. “… You alright?”

“Fine.” Daryl said shortly and Rick kept looking at him before he sighed and sat next to Daryl. Daryl stood up the second Rick’s thigh brushed his, going over to the railing.

Rick pretended the move didn’t sting him like it did.

“… I gotta go soon… Half an hour maybe.” Rick murmured.

Daryl just smoked his cigarette and nodded silently. “… You wanna fuck?” 

Rick shook his head when Daryl glanced at him. The hunter looked away before he could initiate eye contact. 

“I was thinkin’ we could talk… About you comin’ to stay with me.” Daryl shook his head but Rick was determined. “I’m not askin’ you to move in with me, Daryl. Just maybe thought it’d be nice for us to get to spend some time together without you jumpin’ every time a branch snaps.”

“Wouldn’t work.” Daryl mumbled and Rick slapped his hands onto his thighs, making Daryl look over. 

“Why not?” Rick asked. Trying not to sound as angry and frustrated as he was. Sure his apartment wasn’t exactly the Hilton but Rick was there-didn’t that make the visit worth the trip? He drove out to Daryl’s whenever he could, put in all the effort to see him-and Daryl couldn’t even consider repaying the favour?

“You really want me in your place?” Daryl asked, finally looking up at Rick. The mark on his face quickly darkening, the beginnings of a black eye. “Around your town? Your kid?”

Rick stared at Daryl. Beginning to put the pieces together.

“You think I don’t want you in my life?” Rick asked and Daryl closed his mouth, looked back down at the floor. “… After all I’ve done to try and make this work, you think I don’t trust you?”

“I think you don’t know me.” Daryl said. “Not outside this place… These woods. I ain’t prettier in the daylight, Rick. I won’t-fit that way.”

“That’s not true.” Rick said while Daryl sucked on his smoke, keeping his hands busy while Rick crossed to him, touched his arm to get his attention, force him to look into his face. “And it don’t matter where we are as long as you’re with me.”

Daryl stared at Rick then took a small step back from him, shaking his head.

“No…” Daryl said, shaking his head and Rick felt his heart breaking as the other slipped out from under his fingers, turning away from him. “M’sorry.”

Daryl didn’t try and stop Rick when he picked up his keys, his wallet and then got in his car. Starting the engine and driving away before he said something he’d regret. Didn’t even look up when Rick stared at him over the driving wheel.

The burning tip of Daryl’s cigarette was the last thing to disappear as Rick drove away without another word.

\---

Rick was divorced now. Good and final. He and Lori were no longer Mr and Mrs Grimes. He didn’t sleep in her bed anymore. Lived permanently in his apartment 15 minutes down the road from the house he’d planned to spend his life in. Alone with all of his things. 

He got Carl on weekends, which was a kind distraction from the monotony of his job. From the occasional bursts of anger when he saw Shane, matched only by the searing pain he felt when Daryl didn’t call him. Not even 3 weeks after their disagreement.

Rick was falling off the wagon. Without Lori he fell out of old routines. Had to come up with new ones. He watched more tv without really seeing it. Went for runs. Drank coffee in new places (since he couldn’t go to the old ones where Lori might be-with Shane, who she was seeing now).

Rick and Shane weren’t as hostile as they once had been. Rick still felt angry when he looked at him, couldn’t be in his presence too long without the bitter resentment creeping in. But they could talk now. Did sometimes.

Rick and Lori had been on the ropes for a while now. There was no point denying that and Shane was good to Carl. However much that might make Rick’s skin crawl.

Carl didn’t understand what was going on, not really and Rick did his best not to let his pain influence the way he talked about Lori and Shane in front of him. Tried to keep it civil. He didn’t want to put that on him.

But mostly Rick stayed at home, watched Modern Family and did his best to eat 3 meals a day (since cereal counted as dinner, as long as you didn’t eat it for breakfast too). 

So when his doorbell rang at 10 o clock at night he didn’t really know what to expect. Hoped to God it wasn’t Carl running away from home like he’d attempted the week before or the well intentioned Mormons from across the road looking to spread the good word.

What he got instead of a bright, enthusiastic, Korean girl holding a pamphlet was the sight of Daryl Dixon, sucking on a cigarette with his back to Rick. Keys of his pick up still fisted tightly in his other hand while he looked out across the street. 

Daryl turned when the light of the doorway fell on him and Rick’s eyes widened. He stared, mouth slightly parted in surprise at Daryl who just stared right back. Smoke hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

They stared at one another across the door stop in total silence.

“… You gonna invite me in or we gonna pretend I’m sellin’ somethin’?” Daryl asked and Rick kept staring at him. Before shaking off his confusion and stepping out of the door way, stuttering a little.

“Uh, yeah-yeah I mean-yeah.” Rick said and Daryl stepped on his smoke, leaving the butt at the front door (which Rick would have to pick up later, once he had gotten over the fact that Daryl fucking Dixon had just crossed the threshold). 

\---  
Daryl walked inside, coming into Rick’s lounge room and looking around. His home was still sadly sterile. A few boxes still sitting, abandoned, in the corner. From where Rick just hadn’t had the strength to put everything away yet. Still unsure that this was his life now and unwilling to conform to it 100% by actually unpacking his shit. 

Rick didn’t know what to say, just followed Daryl in his boxers and his white night shirt. Eyes wide. Television still going in the silence between them. Daryl took everything in, then glanced back at Rick before quietly roaming deeper in. Into Rick’s kitchen and down Rick’s hall way. Poking his head into the different rooms and just getting used to the place.

It was like watching a deer in a grocery store. Surreal.

“… It’s nice.” Daryl finally said and Rick went red. 

“… It’s-I haven’t finished movin’ everything-“

“Clean though.” Daryl said. Made a place for himself at Rick’s counter, sliding onto a stool and pulling his cigarette packet from his top pocket. He had one in his mouth before he stopped, realising what he was doing and then quietly putting the smoke away again.

Rick watched him and could see the nerves written into his every angle.

He took a few steps closer to Daryl, smiling a little, then frowning, unsure how to feel about this surprise visit. “… When’d you… You didn’t call-I thought-“

“I was angry.” Daryl said. Rick stared at the other until Daryl finally looked up at him, expression guilty, he tapped his feet against the floor and bit into the edge of his thumb, humming. Rick waited for the other to go on. “I thought about what you said… Took me a while but… Figured you were right.”

Rick smiled at Daryl, crossing to him and forgetting all about his shitty apartment and the fact that there was still a half eaten bowl of cereal sitting on the counter beside Daryl. A testament to how far he’d fallen in the past few days. In favour of pressing his lips, gently, to the corner of the other man’s mouth until Daryl turned, brushing his fingers through the curls growing out along the back of Rick’s neck.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” Rick mouthed against him and Daryl let out a long, relieved, sigh through his nose which made Rick grin. 

“That’s good, since I don’t got enough gas to get home tonight.” Daryl admitted.

“Don’t worry, I’ll fill you up.” Rick murmured and Daryl snorted when Rick bit his ear, relaxing against Rick, eyes half closed.

“You still talkin’ ‘bout my truck, Grimes?”

Rick hummed in reply and dragged his fingers through Daryl’s hair, making the other man shudder. “Maybe.”

“Better put that mouth where your money’s at then.” Daryl said and Rick chuckled, picking up Daryl’s knees and slotting them behind his back as he deepened their kiss. Happier in that moment than he had been in months.

\---

Rick woke the next day with Daryl’s whole body pressed firmly to the front of his. His lips grazing against the other man’s neck. Daryl’s hair and the smell of him under his nose. 

Rick sighed contently and squeezed the other man tighter. Making Daryl grunt and squirm a little, trying to get more comfortable.

“Grimes you squeeze any harder I’m gonna pop…” Daryl murmured, tired. Rick pulled the other tighter against him and kissed the back of Daryl’s ear. Making the other man snort and chuckle. Trying to escape him. “Fuckin’ smotherin’ me-“

“You love it,” Rick whispered and Daryl grabbed his pillow out from under his head, smacking it into Rick’s head.

“Damn clingy bastard.” Daryl griped when Rick just kept biting into the other man’s neck, leaving sweet kisses over the abused skin until Daryl was inhaling and exhaling deeply. Rick had his arms wrapped tightly around Daryl’s chest and he slyly rubbed large circles over Daryl’s stomach. 

“Fuckin’ addict-“

“Been missin’ you.” Rick said.

“Yeah? Me or my ass?”

“Both.” 

Daryl snorted and caught one of Rick’s hands, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing his fingers wetly. 

They drew out the exchange between them. Rick lazily grinding against Daryl and leaving red marks all over his shoulders while Daryl stretched and pushed back against him in the early morning light. Pushing Rick’s palms ever lower.

Things were just getting where they needed to go when Rick’s phone rang.

They stopped and Daryl glanced over his shoulder at Rick, raising an eyebrow while Rick groaned and gave him a nip on the neck before releasing him and rolling over to grab his phone from the night stand.

Daryl sighed and rolled out of bed, yawning and stretching, butt naked, while Rick answered. 

“Hello?” He said tiredly, rubbing one of his eyes and watching Daryl scratching his hair and walking into the adjoining bathroom. 

“Hi,” Lori’s voice said over the line. “Sorry if I woke you.” 

Rick did his best to hold in his sigh. Talking to Lori making a bunch of emotions well up all at once. A mix he didn’t want over shadowing such a good morning. 

“Didn’t wake me. How are things?” 

“Hectic.” Lori replied and Rick lay back against his pillows, watching Daryl going through his drawers for something. Tooth brush maybe. Daryl didn’t bring any bags. “I know I said I’d take Carl this weekend, but they need me at work and I couldn’t get the time off.”

“… You want me to take him?” Rick asked and Lori sighed on the other end of the line.

“Could you? I’m sorry, I don’t have anyone else who can-and he’s been so difficult lately. I don’t want to leave him home alone.”

“That’s fine.” Rick said. “You need me to come pick him up?”

“No, no I’ll drop him off.” Lori said.   
“Alright, how far off are you?” Rick asked.

“An hour maybe? Thanks Rick… How are you?”

Rick thought on that, then looked up to see Daryl was standing in the door way, fresh toothbrush in his mouth, watching Rick intensely. He smirked a little and scratched at the hair on his stomach, his navel, then turned back into the room with a final inviting look. The sound of the shower beginning to run permeating the room.

Rick smiled a little.

“Fine.”

“That’s good.” Lori said awkwardly. “… I’ll see you in an hour?”

“Yeah.” Rick said. “Tell Carl to pack his swim suit. Might go fishing.”

“No problem.” Lori replied. “Thanks again, Rick, I mean it.”

“No worries.” Rick replied and politely said goodbye. Dropping his phone to the bed sheets and climbing out of bed to join Daryl where he was waiting for Rick, dripping wet and tasting like spear mint, in the shower.

\---

“Carl’s comin’ over.” Rick said. Daryl paused, coffee half way to his mouth. Wearing one of Rick’s old shirts that fit Daryl better than it ever had Rick. Rick kept drinking his own coffee, working on bacon and eggs to the best of ability. He wasn’t a master chef by any stretch of the imagination. But he was determined not to burn everything in the pan. 

“… Like, now?” Daryl asked.

“In about 20 minutes.” Rick said, glancing up at the clock. “Thought we might go fishin’, since you’re good at that.”

Daryl stared at Rick, with enough intensity that Rick turned. Daryl’s expression was strange, a little drawn in. Like he didn’t want to say what he was thinking. An expression Rick was quickly growing used to.

“… You don’t have to come.” Rick started and Daryl glanced up at him. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked-I just thought-“

“You don’t mind?” Daryl said and Rick stopped, midsentence. “If your kid sees me?”

Rick frowned, quirking an eyebrow and catching the toast from the toaster before it went charcoal. Dropping it onto the plates prepared for it and picking up the frying pan. 

“No…” Rick said. “I mean, we don’t have to give him all the little details-“ Rick went a little pink, since he would rather never let Carl know even the briefest ideas of what he and Daryl got up to. Dumping the eggs and bacon onto their plates. “But he’s gonna meet you sooner or later… No point beating around the bush about it.”

Daryl sipped his coffee carefully, still watching Rick and grunting a thank you when his breakfast was put in front of him. 

“… So I mean…” Daryl picked up a fork, twirled it between his fingers while Rick sat down beside him at the counter. Bumping elbows. “… This is serious then? You’re not…” Daryl shrugged awkwardly when Rick looked at him, mouth full of bacon. “… You don’t mind being seen with me?”

Rick snorted. Like the question wasn’t worth asking and Daryl’s hackles rose a little. 

“Daryl it’s a little late for second guessin’ don’t you think?” Rick asked.

Daryl bristled. 

“We don’t all live in Rick Grimes fantasy land-where everyone can just be cock suckin’ fuckin’ faeries without no consequence, officer.” He snapped and Rick frowned at the other, who just bit into his toast violently, shoulders squared.

“… You can’t swear like that in front of Carl.” Rick said and Daryl gave him the finger.

“Fuck you Grimes,” Daryl spat around a mouthful of charred bread, “I ain’t totally useless. Think I can handle an 11 year old.”

\---

Daryl couldn’t handle an 11 year old.

Carl walked into the kitchen, back pack in hand and stopped when he saw Daryl (who was dressed in his own clothes now) finishing his coffee at the kitchen counter. The pair stared at one another before Daryl finally nodded at Carl and Rick placed a hand on Carl’s head, sending out a small prayer that he hadn’t made a massive mistake.

“Carl, this is Daryl, he’s a friend of mine.” He said and Carl just kept staring, glancing up at his father then back at Daryl, who threw back the last of his coffee and sniffed.

“… How you goin’?” Daryl asked and Carl froze up even more. Daryl’s thick accent intimidating him.

“… Good.” Carl shot back.

The room remained silent.

“… Why don’t you go put your things in your room?” Rick asked and Carl nodded, quietly padding past Daryl, eyes down, on the way to his room. 

“… He shy or somethin’?” Daryl asked and Rick honestly wondered if Daryl knew how intimidating he looked. Even when framed against the greys and whites of Rick’s tidy apartment. All tanned broad shoulders, small scars and messy hair. 

In comparison to Rick or even Shane Daryl looked like a damn mad max character.

“Not usually.” Rick said and Daryl shrugged.

Carl perked up when they decided to take Daryl’s pick up fishing. Threw all their gear in the back, a few beers, some towels, sandwiches and juice for Carl. The young boy’s eyes went massive when he spotted Daryl’s crossbow in the passenger seat (which Daryl quickly whisked away and hid inside, giving Carl a look that had the boy cowing when he went to reach for it in the first place)

They all piled in, Carl in the centre of the broad leather seat and Carl actually laughed when they started rolling. Old car roaring along and Daryl’s other lover (old school rock and roll) pouring out of the speakers. Rick grinned at Daryl when the man glanced at him at a stop light and Daryl actually smiled back. Glancing down at Carl who was sneaking peeks at Daryl like he was the coolest man alive and then back at Rick.

Rick felt like he might have actually done something right for once.

They got gas and bait and headed toward the fishing spot Rick had in mind. By the time they got to the lake, heading down an old and bumpy road to get there (much to Carl’s delight) the air between the three of them was lighter and when they all got out Carl wouldn’t stop plying Daryl with questions. Following him around the truck while they set up.

“So what’s the cross bow for?” Carl asked while Daryl helped Rick unload the truck. 

“Huntin’, mostly, forgot I had it in the car.” Daryl replied gruffly.

“Hunting? Like what? Deer?” Carl asked, kept following Daryl as he went over to the shore, putting the tackle box and fishing rods down.

Daryl glanced up at Rick, helplessly, like he was in way over his head. Rick just smirked at him and pretended not to notice.

“… Yeah, deer. Squirrel, whatever’s bitin’.” Daryl said. Carl nodded thoughtfully and went quiet for a few seconds. Before he perked up again and followed Daryl back to the truck.

“Do you live in the woods?” Carl asked, “Is that how you two met? Were you the guy who found Dad?”

Daryl dropped some of their lunch into Carl’s arms, who barely noticed, just looking up at Daryl, curiously.

“Yep.” Daryl replied.

“… Yep to what?” Carl replied.

“All of it.” Daryl said and Rick finally threw Daryl a bone when he could see the other man getting a little flustered by the attention.

“Come on Carl, bring that stuff over here.” He said and Carl turned to his father, looking between Daryl and Rick like he didn’t know who he wanted to spend time with more.

Daryl excused himself for a few minutes to have a smoke while Rick got their fishing lines sorted. He only had two, but figured he and Daryl could share-or that Carl would just get bored after a while and go explore the shore anyway so it didn’t matter. 

Little did he know Carl’s fascination with Daryl would lead to almost half an hour’s worth of interrogation.

“… So you’ve killed things?” Carl finally asked and Daryl was holding Rick’s fishing line, smoke hanging out of his mouth (his fifth that day), looking straight ahead while Rick just prayed Daryl stayed patient like this for a while longer.

“Sure.” Daryl grunted and Carl was even beginning to copy Daryl now, looking out over the water, feigning nonchalance. Only glancing over to look at him, wide eyed, occasionally.

Rick thought it was kind of sweet.

“What’s that like?” Carl asked, morbidly fascinated.

Daryl shrugged.

“Gotta eat.”

Carl nodded, but looked over at Rick, eyes wide, like that was the coolest thing he’d ever heard.

“… Dad’s shot people, right Dad?” Carl asked and Rick went a little still. Question a strange one. 

“… Well, yeah, once.” He said and Daryl glanced at Rick.

“He was a bad guy though, right?” Carl asked and Rick nodded. “And he didn’t die.”

“Yeah, he was.” Rick said. The man in question was a convicted rapist, petty thief. Drew a gun on Rick when he asked the man to put it down while he was attending a domestic case. Rick had shot him once in the leg, dropped him. Had to go to court on and off to defend himself for weeks.

Carl had been terrified, then fascinated, by the idea of his father shooting a guy. Rick wondered if maybe Carl had been too young to have known. Lori had thought so.

He just didn’t like lying to him.

“I been shot once.” Daryl said and Carl gasped, wide eyed.

“No way!” Carl said and Daryl nodded. 

“Mmhm.” 

“When?” Rick asked, since it was the first time he’d heard about it. Daryl smirked, rolling his shoulder sorely.

“’Bout… 5 years back.” Daryl said. “Was uh… Visitin’ a friend with my brother.” Rick could only imagine what that was cryptic for, “When this guy got all mad. Pulled out a pistol. Wavin’ it around. Said he was gonna shoot my brother, then shoot me.”

“Why?” Carl asked, mystified, “What happened?”

“My brother took something from him.” Daryl said, sucked on his smoke deeply and exhaled. “Stupid. So we wrestled this guy but he got a shot off. Clipped me right here.” Daryl touched a hand to just under his right arm pit. “Bled like a damn pig. Scared the guy though. Run him off.”

“Did you go to the hospital?” Rick asked and Daryl shook his head.

“Naw,” Daryl said, “Wasn’t in a spot to afford it. Just sorted it ourselves more or less. Knew a vet who took a look at it for free, didn’t scar too bad.”

“That’s crazy.” Carl breathed and Rick nodded, agreeing.

Daryl shrugged.

“That’s just how it was.”

Carl turned to Rick with a look that confirmed that Daryl was, in fact, the most awesome man alive.

\---

They caught a lot more fish than they would have if it had just been Rick and Carl. Daryl adding his own flare to the event and even going with Carl to see if they could catch any mud crabs worth bringing home. They scaled the fish at the water and Carl actually got involved, wanting to impress Daryl and his Dad by cleaning his own fish (which had always made Carl a little nervous in the past).

They packed everything away as the sun began to set and piled back into the trunk. Stinking of fish and sweat. Windows rolled all the way down.

Carl wanted the window seat on the way back and so Rick was pressed between into the centre seat. Shoulder to shoulder with Daryl who just snorted, grazing his finger tips against Rick’s thigh when he changed gears and pressing their shoulders firmer together when they stopped at lights.

Rick was thrilled by how well Carl and Daryl seemed to get along and when they pulled up back at his place and started unpacking he was a little surprised when Daryl suggested leaving right after.

“But its Saturday,” Rick said. Daryl grunted, shrugged. “You could stay ‘till tomorrow, if you wanted…” He tried not to sound desperate to keep Daryl around. Not wanting to push him away by trying to keep him close.

“… I don’t wanna intrude much.” Daryl said and Rick snorted.

“At this point I think Carl’d be more upset if you left than if I did.” Rick admitted.

Daryl smirked, a little flustered by the compliment when Carl reappeared, bouncing into view and asking Daryl if he could see his cross bow now.

They ate fish for dinner. Rick letting Daryl take over the preparation while he made sure Carl showered properly and put their clothes in the wash. They were alone again in the kitchen while Carl showered and Daryl was licking garlic and seasoning off his fingers. Fish fillets in the oven. When Rick came up behind him, pressed his lips to the other man’s neck.

It was refreshing to see that Daryl didn’t flinch away from the surprise affection, as he had used to weeks previous.

“Smells good.” Rick said.

“It’s garlic,” Daryl shrugged, turning and grabbing a hold of one of Rick’s belt loops, pulling him closer. “Hard to fuck up.”

“Not impossible though.” Rick said and Daryl smirked.

“Nothin’s impossible for the great Rick Grimes.” Daryl murmured.

“That is correct.” Rick replied, mouthing at Daryl’s jaw. “Thanks for today.”

Daryl hummed, closing his eyes and leaning into Rick who wrapped his hands around Daryl’s hips.

“I ain’t that complex, Grimes. You keep feedin’ me and I’m gonna stick around.”

Rick laughed and they kissed in the kitchen and Rick couldn’t remember feeling so happy in a long time.

\---

Daryl slept on the couch. Uncomfortable with revealing the nature of their relationship to Carl (even though Rick knew it would come out eventually, he respected Daryl’s need for privacy). Rick realised that it was fortunate Daryl was such an early riser. Since Carl still hadn’t grown out of the habit himself.

He got up at around 8 in the morning to find Carl sat up beside Daryl, watching cartoons and talking together quietly. The river of Carl’s questions never drying up, it seemed.

“… Are your parents together?” Rick heard Carl ask from where he was stood in the hallway, watching the two of them. Not wanting to interrupt just yet.

Rick could hear Daryl hum, tiredly, see his shoulder rise like he was rubbing his eyes.

“Naw.”

“… Are they divorced?” Carl went on.

“Shoulda been.” Daryl replied. “They’re both dead.”

“Oh…” Carl said. The two lapsed into silence, cartoons playing loudly between them. Before Carl started again. “My parents are divorced now.”

Rick glanced away from the pair of them. Staring down at the floor and clenching his fists tightly. He should go in now, before Carl got upset-the same way he did whenever the divorce was mentioned. But he couldn’t move from his spot in the hall way. Just listening.

“… I know.” Daryl said. 

“… Dad’s sad about it.” Carl said and Rick swallowed sorely. “I think he’s lonely.”

Rick wet his lips, still rooted to the spot. Stomach twisting painfully. Aware of how painfully obvious his heart ache over the past few weeks must have been without Daryl to distract him from it if Carl had noticed. 

“… Don’t worry about that.” Daryl replied.

“Why?”

“’Cause I’m gonna be keepin’ an eye on him, from now on.” Daryl replied.

Rick stood in the door way for a few minutes more, moved to utter stillness as the pair kept talking. Sunlight spilling in through the window by the front door and the world slowing down on it’s insane axis to grant Rick the kind of contentment he’d been denied for years, caught in the glow radiating off of Daryl Dixon’s shoulders.

...


End file.
